Magic Kind of L?
by KidHeart4
Summary: As requested a retelling of Runaway Hearts but with new elements. Lis has changed in character over the years with a new history. So what happens when Duke ends up in her realm, a realm of magic, first? Will they connect as they do in their normal timeline? What happens when he tries to steal her away to his realm and into his life in the Brotherhood of the Blade?
1. Chapter 1

Magic Kind of...L?  
By: KidHeart

Duke:  
Sometimes I wondered what happened to the young boy that dreamed of magical adventures and becoming a hero. I would battle legendary creatures and win the heart of a fair maiden. Yet in the modern world I lived in that wish would never be realized.  
So while I did learn to wield a sword, it was not to slay a dragon or be a knight. Instead I grew to become a gentleman thief, rebelling at the age of 17 and leaving home. I had found a thrill in escaping the grasp of authorities and growing in infomy. Though I had charmed many young girls in those years, none had been able to keep me for very long. In the brotherhood they clammered for my attention to little avail. Thus becoming the dashing heart breaker most of them knew they wouldn't be able to keep.  
I enjoyed this adventurous life. In less than five years there I was chosen to be leader in place of the one before me. Yet this caused a rift with some of the others. Most of them agreed I was the right choice. I looked out for others in our group. They told me that I knew the difference between taking a risk and being reckless. However there was one who hadn't approved of my rising in status.  
"It should have been me!" Falcone yelled, knocking his glass over in the galley.  
I was trying to celebrate but found it to be difficult.  
"Falcone you still mistake glass for diamonds," I laughed, "Besides it wasn't really my decision. I guess he thinks I'm right for the job."  
"Well I don't! You may be a good thief, but you're soft hearted and you get distracted by some self made code of honor!"  
"There's no reason ta hurt anyone on a job! Ya slip in an' out with what you're after. There's no need ta push it. Leave a callin' card ta gain a name for yourself."  
"I should be number one, you're still jus' a boy!" He scoffed.  
"An' you're just as arrogant as ever Falcone," I growled as I slid off of the stool I was sitting on and left the galley to get some fresh air.  
The cold night air felt refreshing as I breathed it in. My head grew clearer, dumping my thoughts of the future to the side for now. My mind drifted to the past as I looked up at the skies above. I remembered my childhood dreams for just a moment and shrugged.  
Over the next couple of years I made even more of a name for myself, becoming the most notorious jewel thief on Puck World. I proved to be a good leader. I made sure we had plenty of resources and plenty of jobs. When things got too hot we would lay low and enjoy our spoils during that time. Falcone always wanted to push things, but I wouldn't hear it. I had a crew of others to look out for now, being reckless wouldn't work.  
"Duke why don't you relax?" One of the girls asked me one night as we celebrated another successful job.  
She was wearing some of the recently stolen jewelry we had placed on the center table. She walked over to me, draping her arms around my neck. Her black hair cascading down her back as she reached up to me. I stepped back and bowed politely, "You look lovely, but I'm afraid I must decline."  
"Duke, you are the bravest, and most clever leader we've ever had. You deserve someone at your side, a dashing rogue like you needs someone-"  
"Perhaps one day, but-"  
"But what?" She asked sourly, "You don't think anyone can steal your heart? You could have any girl here you want and yet you ignore our charms."  
"I jus' haven't met the right girl yet I suppose," I shrugged.  
Even I wasn't sure what I wanted in someone like that at this point. The women in our gang were all beautiful, smart, and skilled at their work. Yet I hadn't been interested in any of them in that way.  
"Maybe you just aren't his type," one of my comrades said in my defense.  
"Oh? And what would be his type?" She questioned eyeing me still as I tried to slip away.  
"Perhaps our leader is looking for someone outside of our line of work," he teased me.  
I crossed my arms over my chest, raising a brow curiously.  
"You mean an innocent? He does realize someone like that would just get him caught, if she even let him near," the jewelry clad girl spat jealously.  
"Look Ebony this is just speculation on my part. But he clearly isn't interested in you," he let her down harshly.  
"A girl like that doesn't exist for a leader of a gang of thieves!" She looked at me dead in the eyes, "When you chose to take on a life of crime you gave up any kind of girl like that! Besides girls like that only exist in fairytales!"  
"You're probably right," I admitted, "but I'm not ready ta settle down in either case."  
I then slipped outside again, a usual past time of mine it seemed when things were tense. As always the night air felt like a blanket rapping around my slim form.  
"You certainly made her mad," he mocked as he stepped up behind me.  
"I'm not in the mood Falcone," I warned.  
"Why don't you let me take over, and then you can enjoy your life a little more?"  
"In your dreams Falcone, an' I'm not interested in any of the girls here."  
"I can't say I blame them for getting the wrong idea, you're rediculously charming towards the ladies here. One could easily think you may be interested in someone like Ebony, only to find out you're envisioning some fantasy girl," he told me.  
"I don't string anyone along," I replied truthfully, "An' I'm not day dreamin' about a girl that doesn't exist in this world."  
"This world, or our world in the brotherhood?" He hit the mark.  
"Drop it Falcone," I said calmly.  
"You chose this life Duke, are you having regrets?" He pushed.  
"Of course not!" I assured.  
"I would hope not, you're a bit too deep in at this point to turn back," he reminded me.  
"I don't regret this life I've made for myself Falcone, an' I don't regret becomin' leader. I'm jus' not interested in any of the girls here alright?!"  
"Then maybe it is like he said, you're looking for some innocent girl that can soften your heart?"  
I had had enough and walked away.  
"I assure you dear boy, if something like that were to happen it would be most amusing to see," he mocked.  
I didn't stop until he and the hideout were well out of site. I stayed away for a day or so after that to let things calm down. We were lying low for the moment and I wasn't needed for any jobs due to that. So I decided to let things settle with Ebony and the others. That and I needed some space it seemed. For the time being I stayed at an abandoned apartment near our base to keep an eye on things but stay away as well.  
After the third day I decided to head back that evening. Yet in those three days the comments said by my comrades had rolled around in my head. I remembered my childhood dreams yet again, but shook my head at them now. I loved the life I had chosen still didn't I? The adrenaline rush, slipping in and out unnoticed, the welcoming night. It's what I lived for.  
I had just about arrived at the base when a flash of light caught my attention. Quickly I turned to see a slit in the air near me, as though the universe had a small tear in it's self. Instinctively I stepped back at first, but then I thought I heard someone on the other side.  
"Leave them alone!" A young woman yelled angrily from inside the portal.  
Against my better judgement I found myself running through to see if they needed help. I knew it was crazy, I had no idea what would happen, yet there I went.  
As I ran in the portal behind me closed shut, as though the universe had sewn it's self closed. In the back of my mind I wondered how I would get back to my gang, but I disregarded it for the time being. In front of me stood two towering dragons that roared fiercly with a young woman standing in front of them. The strange girl stood facing a few soldiers, each with a bow drawn and aimed at the fericious creatures. Yet the girl seemed unaware of the danger behind her.  
Quickly I rushed in, drawing my saber as I charged at the two dragons before they could try and harm her. Yet just as I swung my blade I was met with an odd reaction as the girl between them turned and blocked my blade with one of her own.  
"What are you doing?!" She demanded, her sapphire eyes glimmering with a fire I hadn't ever seen before, "Hunting dragons is illegal! All of you know that!"  
"What?" I asked as I stepped back and looked up at the two roaring creatures.  
"Turn back now and leave us in peace!" The girl ordered as she held out her blade in warning.  
"We're not going anywhere, we have a buyer that will pay a fortune for the materials these dragons would provide!" One of the men laughed, "but it would be such a shame to injure such a pretty little girl."  
The young lady glared at them with the same fiery expression she had had with me.  
It was then I realized that I didn't recognize what any of them were. They weren't like anyone on Puck World with featherless skin and beakless faces.  
The girl in particular stood out to me, even different from those of her own world. She appeared seemingly to be a human, as I would learn of later on. While the others were gnomes and goblins. Her deep burgundy hair was tied back into a ponytail with loose bangs hanging over her face. She was dressed in a white pirateesque blouse with a crimson vest and black slim pants. On her feet were knee high black boots. The sword she wielded seemed to glow with a diamond like star glimmering from the base and hilt. She herself stood at about 5 feet with a thin frame.  
"I'm only warning you once more, leave the dragons alone!"  
"And what will you do? You're out numbered 4 to one," they looked at me, "Or is it 5 to one? You want in on this? We'll share our profits with you if you help get her out of the way!"  
I was already quite confused about what was going on. Yet I did know I wasn't about to join in with their group. The girl beside me looked at me as if I had though. I shook my head to try and show her I was not with them.  
"I don't care how many of you are here, I'm protecting them as I always have!" She assured as she prepared to swing her blade towards them.  
I wondered what kind of world I had run into. Before me a fight then broke out as they fired at the dragons just as she swung her sword. In an instant a light forced them backwards, knocking them off their horses.  
"Get out of here now my brothers!" She yelled to the two dragons as they took flight, knocking the unprepared horses back a bit.  
"You little welp!" One of the goblins snarled as he charged at her.  
The young woman didn't seem to be bothered by this as she prepared to attack again. Yet as she was facing him another climbed up the side of the mountain path we were on and went to grab her. She stepped to the side to get out of his grasp only to be tackled by their third comrade. He pinned her down, "You cost us all the gold we could ever dream of!"  
My blood began to boil as I drew my saber again, "Hey! Let her go!"  
A dagger released from a spring sheath in his sleeve and he held it to her throat, "And what are you going to do birdman? What are you anyways?"  
"I said let her go!" I repeated.  
"Not a chance freak! She cost us a fortune, and she'll pay one way or another. Maybe we can sell her instead?" He laughed.  
"No you won't!" She growled as she slipped her arm out of his grip and punched him square in the jaw and kicked him off of her.  
Yet before she could get to her feet another one went to grab her. I quickly rushed in, knocking him off of her, causing him to stumble down the cliffside a bit. His comrade helped him up and the four of them then retreated when her "brothers" came back to hover over head, breathing smoke towards them.  
Once they were out of site I turned back to the young lady still lying half on the ground.  
"Are ya alright?" I asked her as I held my hand out to her.  
The dragons above me growled at me as she looked at me unsure.  
"Look I'm sorry, I'm not from around here. I honestly thought you were in danger, I didn't realize you were tryin' ta protect them," I swore.  
She uncertainly accepted my aid as I helped her up to her feet.  
"Thank you...you...?"  
"Duke L'Orange," I introduced myself with a polite bow and charming smile, taking her by the hand and kissing it briefly.  
Instinctively she pulled away, though her cheeks turned a soft pink. She then tilted her head curiously.  
"An' what is your name?" I enquired.  
"It's Lis...just Lis," she answered a bit reluctantly as she rubbed her arm.  
I looked at her arm, noticing a tear in the sleeve. I then noticed blood trickling down as her shoulder had been caught by the sharp rocks of the ledge when the goblin had tackled her.  
"You're hurt," I pointed out.  
"I'll be fine," she insisted as she tried to nurse it.  
"Ya can't reach where ya got hurt sweetheart," I slipped.

Lis:  
I looked at him a bit startled, but tried not to show it.  
Who was this man anyway? I didn't recognize what he was, yet it didn't really surprise me either. The drake before me stood at about 5'10", nearly a foot taller than me. He had feathers that were the shade of worn charcoal. He was dressed in a form fitting body suit of burgundy and black that showed his lean frame. His eyes were a warm deep brown warm as he looked at me with concern.  
"How did you get here?" I then asked him, "If you're not from around here?"  
"There was a doorway of sorts, I ran through when I thought I heard someone needing help. I heard you from the other side," he explained.  
"The star sword," I realized as I looked at the blade that had been knocked out of my hand, "It must have cut open a slit in the world when I was trying to get them to leave."  
"Do you know how to reopen it?" He asked me.  
I shook my head, "I'm afraid I haven't learned how to wield it properly."  
"So I'm stuck here for now then?" He questioned.  
"You didn't have to go through the doorway! I didn't ask for your help!" I told him.  
"An' what would have happened ta ya had I not shown up? He grabbed ya an' threatened ta sell ya!" He reminded me.  
"What I've done since I was ten years old! Through all of these years I have survived with only the help of my brothers and sisters. Though you would think being around dragons others would leave us be," I assured him, trying to calm my rising temper.  
I then tried again to tend to the wound on my shoulder, reluctant to admit that he had been right about me not being able to reach it. I then looked to my brothers and nodded. One of them flew off while the second landed to let me up on his back.  
"I'm sorry you're stuck here for now, but there's not much I can really do. The star sword has a mind of it's own," I said to him.  
"We can give you a lift to the nearest town," I then told him.  
"Can't I jus' stay with you and your brothers? Maybe you can open the portal somehow to send me home with some practice?" He asked me.  
I looked at him surprised, "You want to be around dragons?"  
He nodded with an earnest expression in his brown eyes. He seemed sincere. Yet I had been fooled before. I looked at him uncertainly.  
"If you say it's safe then I believe ya sweetheart," he said to me, "An' ya seem ta need some company yourself."  
I looked over him from atop of my dragon brother. He was growing restless beneath me. My instincts told me to tell him no. Yet a curiosity in me began to stir. It had been so long since I had formed a connection with anyone.  
"I'm not here ta hunt the dragons you're fightin' ta protect. I came here because I thought someone needed my help. Perhaps I wasn't that far off?" He suggested with a charming smile.  
Finally I gave a slight smile of my own as though something in the both of us clicked. Yet then instincts kicked in for a moment as I warned him, "If you break this trust, if you are after the dragons then I will protect them from you as well."  
"I understand, but I promise ya don't have ta worry about that," he assured me as he climbed up behind me on the dragon's back.  
Then we took off into the air. As we took to the skies the familiar feeling of the wind blowing through my hair greeted me. For a moment I forgot about the stranger riding with us and my injury and reached my hand out to grasp a fluffly cloud as we flew by. My shoulder resisted with pain as I pulled my hand back.  
"Take it easy, you're hurt remember?" He reminded me as he placed a hand gently along my shoulder.  
I wasn't used to this anymore. I think it showed.  
"Let me help ya," he offered after we had been flying for a few minutes.  
I reluctantly let him take a look at my shoulder.

Duke:  
There was a deep gash on the back of her right shoulder. Her torn sleeve showed the blood that had stained her arm and the cloth. I looked in my utility belt to find a cloth to clean the wound and then a bandage to wrap it in.  
"Sorry, but I need ta get ta your shoulder," I told her.  
She glared at me at first, but soon realized I was right. I looked away as she removed her vest and then her blouse. She then put the vest on to cover her chest. Then I tended to her shoulder. The whole time I noticed her face was bright red.  
"Hey, I'm not like those thugs," I assured her as I finished tieing the bandage for her.  
"Thank you," she said looking at me for a moment before looking ahead of us.  
In the distance below I could see the town she had mentioned. Though we were headed for another set of mountains ahead.  
"This is incredible," I told her as I took in the scenery that this land had to offer.  
The sprawling land scape was nothing like the urban city I had grown up knowing. The skies were free and untouched. Even the palace she pointed out to in the distance was humble and low to leave the heavens as they should be. Though I could see that there were towers being built it was only one city as opposed to the many I had seen on Puck World.  
"You're really not used to this are you?" She asked me.  
I shook my head, "Not really. This world really calls to me, it's filled with adventure, magic creatures, and-"  
I paused as I looked at the girl steering the dragon we were riding. I thought about what the others had said before I had left. For the moment I just shook my head and then smiled at her. Yet I couldn't deny that something about her intrigued me. There was an innocence to her that seemed to reach out in return, but a fire to fight that kept others at bay. For some reason I wanted her to know that she could trust me.  
"I can be of help ta ya," I tried to tell her as we drew closer to the mountains.  
She looked at me surprised again and I wondered how long she had been alone to keep having these kind of reactions.  
"I noticed that you carry a sword. Are you a knight?" She enquired.  
I wasn't certain on how to answer her. I wasn't ashamed of my life as a thief, but I wasn't sure if telling her would convince her. Yet something about this young lady intrigued me. An inner strength dwelled in her that drew me to her somehow.  
"Not exactly," I finally admitted to her, "Where I'm from I'm not really much of a hero to anyone. I always wanted ta be, but life had other things in mind."  
We soon landed and I carefully helped Lis down off of the dragon she called her brother.  
"Careful sweetheart," I said to her as I supported her.  
"So then what are you to others where you're from?" She asked not breaking away from the subject I was trying to slip away from.  
I looked at her, my heart beating a little nervously until I finally sighed and answered, "Back home I'm a thief sweetheart. I won't lie ta ya; but please know that I have no intention of stealin' anythin' from you or the dragons you care for."  
She looked up at me as though trying to search my soul with her sapphire eyes. I waited for her to send me on my way. Yet this never happened. Instead to my surprise she gave a curious smile.  
"I'm not exactly welcomed here in my own world either," she said to me, "Caring for dragons makes others afraid of you no matter what we do."  
"Isn't it against the law to hunt them?" I asked, "I mean I know I steal gems for a livin', but poaching dragons is a bit much."  
"It is, but too many people are afraid of them, and others find them to be a rare trophy being that there are only a few left," she explained sadly.  
"Has it really jus' been you up here with them all alone?" I enquired gently.  
"No one else understands or isn't afraid of them."  
"Your family? Parents? Siblings?"  
"My family are these dragons Duke."  
I could see the honesty in her eyes. I was stunned. Yet she still smiled softly. There was no fear or regret in her expression as she then looked up at the dragon that we had flown on.  
"Let me help ya until I can go back home," I insisted.  
"You don't need to do that," she tried to tell me, but I wouldn't hear it.  
"Ya don't need ta be on your own all the time. I'm here so ya might as well put me ta use," I pushed.  
She looked at me unsure for a few moments. Had my title back home affected her after all.  
"You can trust me Lis," I promised her.

Lis:  
"You're hurt?" A familiar voice asked from behind us as I turned to face her entering the cavern.  
A large white, blue dragon with thick fur covering her armor like scales came up to me and nuzzled my injured shoulder. I hugged her, "I'm alright Mother."  
She looked into my eyes, reading my thoughts. She then turned to Duke who looked up nervously at her. Her expression was stern as she looked over him with one emerald green eye.  
"And who are you thief to be trying to enter our nest? I will not let you harm my daughter or my hatchlings," she warned fiercly.  
Lis explained what had happened to bring me to their world. Through this I found that this great ivory furred dragon was her mother. Suddenly the girl's bravery made more sense having been raised by her. I could feel a warmth from her given only to those she deemed worthy. I certainly was not. I stepped back a bit to show my respect.  
"He tried to help you?" She then asked Lis as though reading my recent memories. I wondered how far she could look back.  
Lis nodded, "He did. And it's my fault he's stuck here now."  
"While I thank you for helping her I will not allow you to hurt her either."  
Duke looked up at her a bit perplexed. I too wondered what she meant by that. Duke seemed to be honest despite his life in his world. Thief or not he had helped me. He had reached out to me.  
"Mother please, he helped us, he wants to continue helping us until he can go home," I jumped to his defense suddenly.  
I looked to him for confirmation, "Isn't that true?"  
He looked at me and nodded, "Of course sweetheart."  
This seemed to set Mother off even further. I had never seen her lash out at someone as I did now, "Call her by her name! She is not some girl for you to play with!"  
"Mother please stop this!" I begged.  
Duke backed up a bit more. Then he knealt down on his knees to show a humble nature to her, "I meant no harm. I will address her as you wish for me to. I will help anyway that I can until I return home. Please no that I have no intention of hurting your daughter in anyway."  
I looked to Mother pleadingly on his behalf. I wasn't sure what was causing me to act against her, yet there I was standing between them now. For a brief moment I thought I saw pain in her one eye, but it vanished into a stern expression as she looked down at him.  
"I will allow you to stay here for her sake. Think of it as gratitude for saving her and helping her today. However, if you hurt her in any way I will never forgive you," she swore harshly as she looked into his eyes.  
"I understand," he agreed as he bowed his head.  
Then she turned away from him and returned to her dragon children in the nest.  
I sighed with relief as I looked over at Duke, who was getting up from his kneeling position. I found myself walking over to him.  
"I've never seen her act like that," I told him a bit surprised still.  
A part of me wondered if I should be weary of this stranger after mother's concerns had been shown. I even waited for Duke to turn away now, yet that never happened.  
"You don't have to stay if you would rather leave, I would understand," I said looking away.  
Duke placed a gentle hand on my uninjured shoulder, catching me off guard, "Hey, I gave ya my word that I would help while I'm here. I'm not gonna be scared away that easily."  
I was stunned, but happy as well.

Duke:  
I smiled at her still, letting her know that I meant to stay as I had promised. Though I did wonder why her mother was so convinced that I would hurt her. Yet I knew better than to push the subject. For now I would support the young maiden I had met that day.  
The rest of that evening was spent getting to know their nest. Lis showed me each cavern, showing me how she knew them like the veins in her own hands. She then introduced me to her two sisters and two brothers, each one shimmering with gem like scales as they rested on their treasure hordes. Each one was a different body type of dragon, western, eastern, cave, and the last a sky dragon. She then helped me make a bed with some spare fabric and straw she had. Afterwards she gave me one of her own extra blankets, "I'm afraid I'm not used to guests."  
"That's a shame," I told her with a charming smile, "You're quite pleasant to be around."  
I watched as her cheeks turned a soft she also seemed to step back shyly, unused to anyone talking to her like this.  
"You should get some rest, you've had a long day," she told me nervously as she walked over to the mouth of the cavern and took a seat with her feet hanging out over the ledge.  
I watched her as she looked out over the land below. For a moment I paused when I noticed her mother watching us nearby. Yet then I found myself shaking it off as I walked over to join Lis. Taking a seat beside her I watched the heavens change from soft blue, to lavender and pink, then finally a deep violet as stars came out to greet us.  
"It's beautiful here," I said as I looked over at her.  
I noticed as she shivered from the cold breeze that blew into the cavern mouth.  
"Sweet-" I caught myself, "Lis, how long have ya been up here like this?"  
"Since I was a kid. I wasn't really wanted in town, especially after I helped the dragons find a new nest away from it. They said I had made my choice," she explained a bit sadly.  
"If their is a law, why do they treat ya so?" I asked her.  
"The law was recently made due to our alliance with the young prince of this land, but the people don't really understand that," she replied.  
"I see..."  
"They don't understand though that if the dragons go extinct then true magic will eventually fade from this land. Their essence makes it possible for mages to be born, for magical creatures to thrive. Almost like a part of an ecosystem. If the dragons die off it won't be noticed right away, but years down the line magic will die," Lis told me as she gripped the ledge tightly, her knuckles turning white from frustration.  
"You take that all on all by yourself?"  
"For now. These four are still very young, but soon enough they can find scattered nests and hopefully repopulate the land with dragons. For now I have to defend them until they are ready," she explained.  
"Then what happens to you?"  
"I guess I'll remain here with mother, she's older and tired," Lis said to me with a distance in her eyes.  
"Lis, ya can't spend your whole life up here alone. There's a world out there ready ta be explored," I told her, trying to get her to smile, "Perhaps there are more dragons out there waitin' ta be found?"  
She looked up at me, a spark igniting in her eyes for a moment, "Duke?"  
"Don't spend your life locked up alone," I insisted.  
She then shook her head, her eyes growing distant in their expression again, "I'm needed here Duke. But that's okay."  
"It isn't though," I pushed, "It isn't okay to outcast yourself from the world. To not really live your life."  
"Duke, please stop," she said with a tinge of bite in her words.  
"Lis..."  
"Duke, if I don't protect her no one else will," she said as she got up and walked away from me.  
"Lis," I tried once more as I got up and followed her, reaching for her hand.  
What had gotten into me?  
She pulled away, but looked up at me with confusion and frustration fusing together in those eyes of hers.  
"You don't understand, once you can go home you won't have to worry about this. But this is my home, these dragons are my family. I can't just leave," she told me before turning away to head to her bed of straw and loose fabric.  
For the moment I backed off to give her space. I hadn't meant to push so far. I barely knew this young lady. Who was I to say how she should live her life? Yet as I watched her tremble with cold I couldn't help but want to reach out to her still. Looking around the cavern I could see the evidence of how little she tended to herself. Her entire life was the dragons she protected. Around the cavern I could only find a few belongings of hers that were either for basic self care or defense. Food, clothing, soap, a few blades, a sewing kit. Her own bed of straw was tossed into a corner near the nests of the dragons so she could listen for them even in her sleep. I grew worried for her, despite knowing her for less than a day.  
"Do not hurt her," her mother repeated bitterly from the corner after Lis had fallen asleep.  
"I won't," I told her calmly.  
"But you already are," she said in the same sour tone, "With every moment you spend here you dig into her fragile heart. When you eventually go home you'll tear a deeper wound in her that she has to sew back together."  
"So is she to never form a connection with anyone? Is she supposed ta live here for their sake an' give up on herself? Is that what ya want for her?" I asked, pushing a bit too far I realized.  
"You realize I could end your life right now? I could prevent that scar by snuffing you out?"  
"An' throw away what she has worked so hard to prove to the people of this land?" I questioned.  
"No one but her knows you here," she pointed out.  
"Those hunters saw me here, they would gladly run to tell the people that a stranger was killed in a dragon attack and set back what she has fought for," I argued.  
"I won't let you hurt her thief," she warned with a bite in the last word.  
"I only want ta help her as long as I'm here. I do not mean to cause her harm," I assured, "I want her ta know that even when I return home that she is worth bein' around. That someone-"  
"That someone was willing to spend time with her until he could go back home?"  
I fell silent. I then understood why her mother was being so protective. When I returned home, Lis would be left behind to be alone up here once again. Yet I couldn't abandon my home or my gang either. No matter how much this world called to me, I had to return to Puck World soon.  
"I'm sorry. But I can't take back my promise. As long as I am here I will do what I can ta help her," I said quietly, "It was never my intention ta hurt her though."  
"I see how you are through your memories. I know the hearts you have broken with a charming nature. The girls affection you have stolen worth more than any gem. Do not play with her as you have with them, or going home will be last your last concern. Address her by her name and be cautious of how you spend your time with her. If her heart shatters, so will your bones," she warned me in a calm, harsh tone.

The next day I accompanied Lis as she traveled with her brothers and sisters to their favorite gorge to eat breakfast. We rode on the western style dragon that she tended to rely on I noticed.  
"Do you favor him?" I asked as I brushed my hand carefully over his ruby like scales.  
"He's technically the youngest," she admitted, "and he was very sickly as a hatchling. So I guess I grew closer to him for having to give him so much extra care."  
"Do any of them speak like their mother?" I asked curiously.  
"Not yet, they're still a little too young for that," she told me, "but once they can they will be able to fly out and hopefully find other dragons to build nests with."

"This world is so different from mine," I told her as I leaned against a large boulder near the gorge.  
"That's to be expected," she said a bit confused by my statement.  
I chuckled, "That doesn't mean I'm unfamiliar. Honestly as a kid I would have loved ta grow up in a land like this one. Magic, adventure, legendary creatures, an' a fair maiden."  
I quickly shut my beak after the last part slipped out. She turned to me a bit startled for a brief moment. I wondered if someone had ever told her something like that before. Even though she were unlike anyone on Puck World I couldn't deny the wild eyes that drew me in when she looked at me. Yet her mother's warnings also hung over my head, and I grew angry with myself for stepping too far.  
"You can't mean that?" She said turning away quickly. Was she blushing?  
"Would it really surprise ya if I were tellin' ya the truth?" I pushed gently, dropping her mother's threats for a brief moment, "I can say that I think you're quite beautiful."  
"Please stop," she then insisted looking away, almost as though I were hurting her.  
For a brief moment I realized how lonely she actually was. When I walked over to her and rested a hand on her unbandaged shoulder she flinched. However she didn't brush me away.  
"I'm not goin' ta hurt ya. An' I'm not sayin' I'm in love with ya or anythin', but I feel at least one person in this universe should tell ya you're beautiful," I told her.  
"Should doesn't mean I am," she retorted still looking away.  
I looked her over a moment, for the first time standing close to her when we weren't in near combat with one another or in the air, or in the dark caverns of her home. Her burgundy hair was woven into a loose braid that hung over her shoulder. Her pale skin tone compared to my dark grey feathers. She felt so small in frame but stood as a warrior all the same. Almost a rigid stance it seemed as I really watched her.  
"Sweetheart, you are," I told her gently, "Any guy out there would be lucky if they ever won your heart. He would get to look into your sapphire eyes every day."  
She looked at me again with those eyes of hers. I felt my very words working on my own heart as she did. Her cheeks were a deep red now. Then she looked away again.  
"I'm sure you've said things like that to other girls?" She questioned, jumping away from the topic, "Save it for the girls back in your home world please."  
My heart softened a moment as I watched her stay facing away from me. It seemed I had been right about her. People mistook strength and dedication as something to be feared or outcasted for. She was up in these mountains with no one but the dragons to talk to or interact with. No one would approach her for simply understanding what they didn't. It was no wonder she had little trust in me despite my attempts to reach her.  
Just then a gleam of silver caught my eye from within the brush of leaves overhead of the gorge. An arrow had shot out aimed at her back.  
"Look out!" I told her as I quickly I pushed her out of harms way to find myself being struck in the right side of my chest due to our height difference. Otherwise they would have pierced her heart!  
I cried out in pain as I tried to remove the arrow at first, but it's edges cut into me as I did.  
"Don't! You'll bleed out!" She told me as she drew out her glaive to deflect the next arrow.  
I then snapped a bit of the arrow to make it easier to move and drew my saber and stood beside the young woman, "Come out ya cowards!  
"You should have stayed away stranger!" The goblin from the previous day laughed.  
"We need her out of the way, without her we can hunt all of the dragons we want!"  
"Brothers and sisters fly away now!" She commanded.  
The dragons behind us began to try and take flight, but they were a bit sluggish at the moment from their meal. I looked to the girl beside me as she looked fearfully at those she was trying to protect.  
"While it would be wonderful to get their hides now and rake in the gold, we're not actually after them today," one of the poachers assured her in a mocking tone.  
We then realized that we were surrounded by several men with crossbows trained on us.  
"With you out of the way we can hunt them all we want little girl!" Another snickered as he prepared to shoot at her.  
I stepped forward to defend her, but realized there were more behind us. She looked to the dragons desperately, "Please get out of here! Fly away now! I don't care what happens to me as long as you four survive!"  
They gradually began to take flight. Though one tried to blow away the attackers with its wings, only for us to find they were wearing weighted boots this time around.  
"Fly away! Please!" She screamed as it reluctantly flew away.  
"That's right, say your goodbyes, but don't worry they'll join you soon enough!" Their leader laughed as she backed up against me until we were back to back.  
There were too many. Any wrong move and they would fire. I looked around to try and see if I could find any way out of this for her. The pain in my chest was increasing as I stood with my saber drawn.  
"Again sorry stranger, but you really shouldn't have come back here. No hard feelings I assure you," one of the gnomes mocked.  
"Are you sure you don't want to try and sell her boss?" One of the thugs asked.  
"As long as she's alive it's too much of a risk," he replied.  
"Besides no one goes near her in town, so really who would pay for her?"  
I looked behind me to see her shudder from disgust.  
."Hey," I attempted, "Haven't you defended yourself before from thugs like them?"  
"I've only ever defended my brothers and sisters," she told me.  
"Sweetheart, ya gotta fight for yourself too!" I told her, "Ya can't give up!"  
"On three men!" The leader ordered.  
"Yes sir!"  
I looked at her for a moment again. And in that moment I was shocked to see the brave girl I met the day before freeze.  
"I'm sorry I brought you here!" She told me, "I'm sorry I couldn't send you home. You didn't need to be dragged here...but thank you for your company Duke."  
"One...two..."  
"It's alright sweetheart," I answered, reaching back to hold her hand as it trembled.  
"Three!"  
We both braced for the impact as the triggers of the crossbows were pulled. I gripped her hand tightly to try and tell her she wasn't alone.  
Yet we were never hit. I looked around confused to see energy sparking around us. Turning back to the girl behind me I found that the energy was igniting from her.  
"What in the world?!" One of the hunters exclaimed as the electricity lashed out at them, causing them to drop their weapons.  
"What kind of creature are you?!" Their leader demanded.  
I then noticed something beneath him as his shadow shifted unnaturally. It grew a spindly arm that reached out to her own shadow.  
I pulled her back from it only for it to go to my own shadow and grasp the arrow's, pulling it from my chest! I yelled out in pain as it ripped it out, causing the actual arrow to be pulled away by an invisible hand.  
"Duke!" She screamed in fear as I tried to stop the bleeding.  
"She posseses magic, I must have it!" the shadow hissed hungrily, "I need her alive so I can drain it! Then you can do with her what you wish!"  
Yet before anyone could touch her the energy around her errupted, forcing them all back due to the raw electricity forced towards them. Lis then hastily grabbed my hand and pulled me towards a cavern entrance at the mouth of the gorge. Before they could follow us we had slipped deep into the gem covered tunnels.  
Outside we could hear their howls of anger as they tried to hunt us down. Yet they seemed hesitant to enter the caverns we had gone in. Meanwhile I had pulled Lis to the side, shielding her as she stood shaking against the wall. We both held our breath as we waited and hoped they would leave for now. I could feel her trembling, her hands covering her face as she tried not to break down.  
"This is all my fault," she whispered as she looked at me injury.  
"Shhh," I urged gently as I slipped again, "It's okay sweetheart. It's not your fault."  
Finally it seemed the coast was clear as we heard one of them say they would have to come back better prepared.

Lis:  
Once they were gone I tried to regain my composure, yet guilt washed over me.  
"This is my fault," I said again angry with myself as I looked at the still bleeding wound he had taken.  
"You're still bleeding," I said as I had him sit on the cavern floor so I could help him bandage it.  
I carefully opened his vest and under shirt to find the puncture wound just below where his lung would have been. I pressed on it with one hand to stop the bleeding as I tore my own sleeve with my teeth. I then did what I could to close the wound with the cloth and then held it in place. I didn't have anyway of bandaging it properly without my supplies back at the nest.  
"Why do ya keep sayin' this is your fault? I came here on my own?" He asked me after it was silent for a bit.  
I looked at the ground unsure of how to answer him.  
"I might have called you here without realizing it," I finally admitted to him, "When I used the star sword I must have been thinking about what Mother's been talking to me about being lonely. Maybe those thoughts were in my head when I wielded the star sword and it opened the path for someone to come in yesterday. I should have stayed focus on my task! All this did was get you hurt and trap you here!"  
"Hey, hey," I said trying to smile through the pain, "I didn't have to come through the doorway. I could have ignored it. But I heard someone in need of help. So I jumped in an' found you."  
"You shouldn't have come here," I argued.  
"But then you would still be lonely," he pointed out as he then held my hand that was pressed against his chest, "Or even dead..."

Duke:  
I then remembered the shadow creature from before, "What was that thing anyway?"  
"I don't know," she said worriedly, "It looked like a shadow, but I've never seen one that can do something like this."  
She then looked a bit frightened as she remembered it's spindly claws reaching for her.  
"It wanted your magic," I mentioned.  
"I didn't even know I had magic until just then. I've always been able to fight those thugs off before," she explained to me.  
I looked at her surprised, but then worry crept over me, "That thing wants ta hunt ya down sweetheart. Ya can't keep fightin' alone now that it knows what ya have!"  
"But I have to defend the dragons! People aren't used to them yet, and-"  
"And I'm sure your siblings don't want ya dead!" I snapped looking into her eyes.  
Her sapphire eyes still so intense even now, "Look Lis, yesterday when I met ya I saw a very strong warrior. I still see that as you talk about the dragons. Yet when it comes ta fightin' for your own sake it's like you've given up. You would have given up out there had those powers not woken up when they did. Wouldn't the dragons that you protect mourn for ya if ya fell in battle?"  
She looked away.  
"An' your mother? Do ya think she wants ta lose her daughter?" I asked gently.  
"As long as I do my job protecting them then it doesn't matter."  
"Of course it matters!" I snapped.  
"The dragons are what matter! Without dragons magic this land will grow weak. The prince understands and wants to protect that. I took up the task because no one else was willing to!"  
"Aren't dragons wise and fierce?" I asked.  
"Ones like Mother are, but my four brothers and sisters are only children. They hatched only 10 years ago," she explained, "They're big, but much younger. Until they've grown enough I have to wacth over them! They may be the last ones left!"  
I finally understood what was weighing on her shoulders.  
"Lis, that's too much of a burden to bare for one person," I tried to tell her, but she looked away unwilling to hear it.  
"I've done it this long haven't I? I've been around since they were hatchlings," she said losing her temper, "Since I was just a kid!"  
"That's too long ta go without havin' someone around ta talk to that isn't your mother!" I argued, but she ignored me, "An' you were far too young ta carry so much on your own!"  
"But I did okay?!" She finally snapped.  
I could tell that she wanted to pull away, but my injury kept her from moving.  
"So what's our plan?" I asked her, backing off from the subject for now, "Do we stay here until they come back ta hunt ya again or do we escape?"  
"If we travel your wound will bleed out again," she told me as she tried to keep the injury clean and blood from flowing.  
"So what do we-?"  
Just then we heard a harsh wind pick up outside, carry through the cavern, and nearly knock us over. We looked outside to see a much larger dragon peering inside.  
"Mother!" Lis called to her.  
Soon we were outside standing before her as we looked up at her. I lowered my head in an attempt to bow out of respect. The wound in my chest wouldn't allow me to do much more.  
"We need to bandage his injury, but our supplies are back at the nest," Lis exlpained.  
The great dragon eyed me carefully, as though knowing I had slipped up again She then she looked back to Lis unsure.  
"Please, he's hurt because he was trying to save me. They want me dead for protecting the others," Lis explained.  
The dragon looked at me bewildered now, "You risked your life for my daughter?"  
I nodded, though I hadn't thought about it much. I had only reacted in the moment. I didn't feel like any hero. Yet for a moment I thought of what would have happened had I not pushed her aside. And knowing how Lis felt about her own worth, I felt something stir for her.  
"Mother, he could die if we leave him here," she said in my defense.  
"Very well, but I will be watching him closely," she said more to me than the girl now helping me onto her mother's back.  
"Thank you," I said to both of them, yet she didn't seem convinced.  
Not long at all due to her stronger wings we were at their nest. Lis carefully helped me over to the makeshift bed she had made me the night before. Then she began tending to my injury with a clean cloth and bandage. In the better lighting of the nest up in the moutains far from any town she could see better, and thus saw the scars marked all over my chest.  
"Duke...?" She asked but at this point the pain in my chest had about taken over and I was barely awake.  
I wanted to cover up my scars from her, but I didn't have the energy to. My eyes were slightly open as I watched her cover me up with a hand sewn blanket. Then for a moment I felt her pause as she wrapped it tightly around me to keep me warm, possibly to keep me from going into shock. Her sapphire eyes watched me as I watched her while I was still barely awake. Those eyes of hers, I felt they were searching my soul for answers. My mind could not escape those gorgeous, striking eyes.  
"Jus' think about what I said to ya okay?" I said tiredly.  
She looked at me confused.  
"You matter sweetheart," I said as I drifted off to sleep, "an' ya don't have ta be all alone."

Lis:  
As he fell asleep I listened to his words. Then I got up and walked over to the mouth of the caverns and looked out over the land as I usually did to pass time. Mother approached me from behind and rested beside me.  
"His words are true my child," Mother said almost regretfully from behind me, "You must battle for yourself as well. Though I'm not sure how much I trust him as of yet."  
"Mother..." I said, drifting away from the topic, "How can someone I met just yesterday reach me when no one in this world has even tried? And what do you see that makes you unsure?"  
"He keeps his past shrouded in shadows it seems, as though he is hiding a truth."  
"So he may not be what he seems then," I said, pulling my knees to my chest, "I know he's a thief in his home world. Yet that's really all I know."  
"Just be cautious my daughter," she warned gently.  
I didn't answer as I looked over at the young drake lying still and in pain across the cave from us. My instincts told me to keep him at a distance, yet something forgotten deep within me told me otherwise.  
"My child, you seem lost," she said to me, "If you continue on this path there will be no turning back, you must choose your steps carefully. I am grateful that he saved you, and that is why I allow him to sleep here for now."  
I watched Duke still as he slept. I wondered what it was that made Mother so uncertain of him. I had tried to force him out only for him to dig his heels in and stay. Was it just to try and get home? Perhaps. Yet my mind wandered to the things he had said before he'd been hurt. What he had said about how he would have loved to grow up in a world like ours. I felt my cheeks growing warm as I recalled what he had said about maidens and...I shook my head quickly to get those thoughts out of my head.  
Though as I watched him I found myself growing curious. Why did he have all of those scars? I wanted to talk with him more. Yet why?  
As the day went on I decided to check on my siblings and make sure that none of them were harmed. I then tended to other tasks such as getting supplies from town before I was run out again without the prince knowing, and then preparing meals for the next few days. By the time it was sun down I was exhausted and tossed myself onto my bed without eating anything.  
Though as I tried to I looked over at Duke, I could see that he was still breathing, but he hadn't moved at all otherwise. Fear crept over me as I wondered if he would heal soon.  
"I'm sorry," I whispered in the dark to no one that could hear it seemed.


	2. Chapter 2

Duke:  
For the first time in hours I felt myself stir to the sound of a soft voice. From sheer exhaustion I had nearly forgotten where I was until the pain in my chest reminded me of the morning's events. I looked over to where the voice had come from to find Lis looking over at me from her thrown together bedding.  
"Hey," I breathed loud enough to let her know that I was awake.  
She sat up quickly, "Duke?!"  
Had she been worried about me? I smiled tiredly as I tried to sit up. She insisted that I not move too much, but I wanted to show her that I was healing. So despite the resistance my body gave I sat up and nodded thankfully to her.  
"I've been through worse scrapes," I assured her as I remembered the Brotherhood I had temporarily left behind.  
She had crept over to me through the dark, lighting a lantern along the way to take a look at my injury. She could also see my scars again.  
"There's no point in hidin' it now is there? You already know I'm a thief," I tried to laugh.  
She looked at me curiously, the lantern light made her eyes shimmer.  
"Sweetheart, where I'm from I'm a bit of an outcast myself."  
"How so?" She asked me.  
"I'm the leader of a gang back home, the Brotherhood of the Blade. We're a group of jewel thieves," I told her quietly.  
For a moment her expression shifted from curiosity to uncertainty. It were as though she were questioning what little she knew about me. I waited for her to turn away with mistrust. Yet that never happened. Instead her eyes seemed to search my soul and to my surprise she smiled softly as though she had found something deep within me.  
"It would take a thief to reach out to me," she whispered as she set the lantern down beside the bedding.  
I found myself reaching a hand out to her, resting it against her cheek. Yet again I looked into her sapphire eyes. Something in my chest pounded persistantly. I recalled what the others at the hideout had said before I had left. I guess they had been right I thought as she looked up at me. I was so lost in her eyes that I didn't hear anyone approaching. My heart deafened my senses as her steps grew closer.  
Then for some reason I felt myself holding back. I pulled away from her, as though I knew I were crossing a line. Was it because she wasn't from a world of thieves like I knew back home? Did I want to protect her from becoming tangled in it? In either case I got up and walked to the cavern entrance to look out over the town and gain my senses. It hurt a bit to move, but the pain was finally easing a bit, at least enough to step carefully.

Lis:  
I watched as he left me sitting alone. For a moment I thought perhaps I had done something wrong. Though I soon recalled how most others barely talked with me at all, making this feel par for the coarse that I had grown accustomed. It was one thing for him to be friendly towards me, it was another thing entirely to go beyond that. Besides once he was able to return home I would be left here anyway. So why get attached to him? As I looked over to him though I couldn't help but think that when he did leave that I would miss him somehow.  
"Go ahead an' get some rest Lis, I won't be goin' anywhere," he assured me for now.  
I felt my own exhaustion taking over as I watched him. Soon enough I drifted off to sleep whether I wanted to or not.

Duke:  
"You were wise to pull away from her," the voice of the one known as Mother growled from behind me softly.  
I looked to see her approaching me with Lis behind her asleep. Her fierce eye gleamed in the darkness. The lantern light reflected the shimmering blue, white scales of her wings.  
"She doesn't belong in your world," she reminded me harshly, "but I think you know that don't you?"  
"So is she ta remain here all her life then? I thought you wanted her ta reach out ta someone? Or is she ta be feared by the townsfolk here for the soul purpose of protectin' your children?!" I demaned, growing defensive as I thought of Lis carrying out her days all alone.  
"The only reason I allow you to stay here for now thief is because you saved her life, do not forget that!" She warned.  
"Thief or not if I hadn't been here that shadow would done much worse ta her! If I return home who will keep her safe?!"  
"Shadow?" she suddenly asked, her voice waivering for a moment.  
I then explained what Lis and I had encountered that morning.  
"If he finds her," she spoke uncertainly as she looked to her daughter sound asleep.  
I walked over to Lis and pulled the blanket up over her. For a moment I paused as I rested my hand on her trembling shoulder.  
"Ya know what this thing is don't ya? What could he do ta her?" I pushed protectively.  
"Shadow is a creature that was locked away by magic centuries ago. Great Dragons of the past, including myself, sealed him away in a pit in a forgotten forest. Yet as my kind have been hunted the seal must have weakened and cracked, allowing him to slither out," she told me.  
"What can he do ta her?" I repeated.  
She looked to her daughter fearfully, "If his claws find her he can do whatever he wishes. He could warp her shadow to change her, steal her magic, or anything else he wants. If it entertains him and provides a meal for him he will do what he desires!"  
I looked to the sleeping girl, unaware of the danger she faced.  
"Look, I know ya don't trust me. Ya have no reason to knowin' what I am back home, but despite knowin' her for such a short time I have wanted ta know her more. I can see how strong she is for the sake of others, but for her own sake she won't fight."  
I then realized what had happened that morning. When her magic had errupted and made it's self known. If I, another soul, hadn't been there.  
"She was tryin' ta save me," I realized out loud, "Her powers woke up out of desperate self defense. Otherwise she has no will ta fight for herself!"  
"Her heart is too tangled at this point due to mistrust in others," Her mother nodded.  
"She can't go on like this! If I return home that thing will find her an' do what he wants with her!" I told her.  
"So you wish to stay here then? Is that your plan? He'll still hunt her if that is the case," she pointed out.  
I then realized what we had to do, "She has ta leave with me!"  
Let no one underestimate the anger of a mother. If Lis hadn't been sound asleep in my hands at that moment I am certain my life would have ended right then and there, "How dare you even suggest you steal her from her home?!"  
"If she stays here he'll find her! If she comes with me she at least has a chance!" I argued.  
"This is her home! She is a being of magic that you wish to place in a modern realm?! No one else will understand her!"  
"How do ya know that?" I asked bravely, "Maybe in another world she can have a different life!"  
"You are trying my patience thief! Remember you only remain here temporarily because you saved her life! But I can have you leave at any moment!" She warned.  
"An' then what?" I snapped, "Then she goes on livin' this lonely life, givin' up on herself until that thing finds her an' does what he wants with her! All because you were too afraid ta let her go! Is that what ya want?!"  
"Of course not!" she growled angrily.  
"Then please, for her sake, don't trap her here," I said gently.  
Her fierce eyes peered into my soul.  
"I know she's your daughter. I know you love her and want to protect her, but keeping her here isn't the way ta save her. Ya know that don't ya?" I asked carefully.  
She looked over her daughter, sorrow filling her eye as she did. Then she looked at me, "Must you steal her from me after only two days? No matter my warnings I feel her bonding to you even as she dreams."  
"I never meant ta steal from you, I only wanted ta help who I thought was in need of it," I assured her, "When I came through that portal I had no idea what would happen. I took a chance, an' now I've met her. I can't leave her knowin' that thing is after her."  
"Young thief, do you care for her after such a short time? Do you really care for her enough to want to save her life so badly that you would steal her from this world?"  
"I honestly can't say how much I care for anyone after a few days," I said honestly, "But the thought of her in his claws makes me want ta at least try an' save her. If it means takin' her with me then I will do what I can."  
"You realize that leaving with her is not that easy? You can not take her like she is a gem to place in your pouch on your belt? She may fight to stay? Her heart only knows this world and us dragons. And now you," she looked over me.  
I realized she was right, I couldn't force Lis to leave her home. Yet something had to be done.  
"Besides, it was the star sword that enabled her to bring you here, who knows how you can get home at this point," she reminded me.  
"I have ta try; as long as that thing is out there I have ta try an' keep it away from her," I promised solemnly as I looked over the maiden in my arms now. In her sleep she clung to me unknowingly. Something about how she held onto me made me feel different. I recalled how Ebony had draped her arms around me as though I were her own. This wasn't like that at all. Lis wasn't like any of the women in the Brotherhood of the Blade. There was a spirit in her deep down, a desire to live and fight. A curiosity. And a trust I hadn't known before.  
"I will find a way ta steal her away from the fate he has in mind for her," I swore.  
"You are an odd thief," her mother retorted uncertainly before turning away.  
I spent the rest of the night holding onto Lis. Perhaps a part of me was afraid the shadow would appear before I could try and save her.

Lis:  
I awoke the next morning to find myself in Duke's arms. I jumped up a bit startled. He chuckled pleasantly, "Good mornin' sweetheart."  
"Were you up all night?" I asked him, "What about your injury?"  
Duke looked at me surprised as he then looked at his chest to find his injury healed.  
"How?" I asked.  
He smiled at me, "Maybe it was your magic."  
I wasn't sure what to say. Not knowing what my powers could do I suppose it was possible.  
"Lis, I need ta talk ta ya okay?" He then said gently as he offered a hand to help me up.  
I found myself resisting though as I got up on my own and then followed him outside the cavern. We started to head down the trail for a short hike, taking in the morning air as we went along. For some time Duke was quiet and I wondered what was the matter. Perhaps he was usually like this. After barely two days I had no way of knowing.  
"Duke? What's wrong?" I finally asked.  
Duke was still silent for a few moments as we found a few boulders to rest on.  
"Lis," he finally started, "When we find a way for me ta go home, I...I want ya ta come back with me."  
I was admittedly a bit stunned to hear this. Yet my promise to fight for my family kept me from agreeing, "You know I can't leave the dragons, especially now with that thing out there."  
"That thing is exactly why ya can't stay here," Duke mentioned, "Your mother told me about it. Shadow will hunt ya down an' do whatever it wants ta get your magic, as ya stand now ya won't have a chance against it. But if ya come with me you will be safe."  
"I can't abandon them to that creature!" I grew angry at the idea and with him now.  
"Ya can't fight this thing Lis! If anythin' it wants ya ta try so it can take what magic ya have! If that thing gets a hold of your shadow it can warp ya into anythin' it wants!" Duke pushed.  
"I don't care what it can do to me!"  
"Well I do!" Duke slipped and then fell silent as he looked away from me.  
I looked at him, startled by his words. Doubt hardened my heart though. How could he care after such a short time? I jumped off of the large rock I was sitting on and started to head back up the path towards home. As I walked past him he reached out and grabbed my arm, "Lis wait!"  
I paused, wondering why my face felt so hot as he touched me. I hoped he couldn't tell.  
"Lis, I don't want ta upset ya. I know leavin' them isn't easy, but for your own sake ya have ta leave this world, at least for now. If ya don't an' that thing gets a hold of ya..." for a moment he looked scared.  
"Duke..."  
He then let go of my arm as he stood up now, "I can't tell ya what ta do. Yet at the same time I want ta try an' save ya from that thing."  
It was then that I noticed something slinking along the path, creeping up from the town. It was taking advantage of the morning shadows that lingered. It's clawed hand reached out as it grew close to our mingling shadows.  
Instinctively I pulled him back, causing his shadow to move away from it's jagged nails. We heard a sinister laugh from deep in the ground and we looked to see a figure of deep ebony emerging from the path. It had an unnatural smile that reached pointed ear to pointed ear. It's arms were slender and long as ropes lashing out from it's torso. It's hands shifted into whatever it wanted as it reached towards me.  
"You will be a delicious meal," he laughed as his claws dug into the side of my own shadow. I winced as though I could feel the claws in my own side, pinning me there.  
Duke tried to pull me back, but he was unable to move me without my shadow, and myself, tearing.  
"I saw you in town yesterday," it mocked, "I could sense the magic within you growing more potent. It seemed as though someone were on your mind that ignited that power."  
I remembered being worried about Duke recovering from his injury.  
"Those feelings made it easy to track you, and now, let's see what fun I can have," it laughed wickedly as it began to tug on my shadow.  
I felt a pain shifting through my core as he began playing with my shadow.

Duke:  
I looked to see him warping her shadow in different ways. Playing with it's shape.  
"Now what would make this feast more delightful?" It asked her, "I could warp your body into an animal if I wanted, or perhaps turn your shell into a beast that I can then control once you're hollow."  
Lis looked to me afraid, "Get my siblings away from here! Warn them please!"  
"I'm not leavin' ya here!" I told her as I tried to think of what to do.  
I tried to think of what could harm a shadow. Then as I looked up at the rising morning light it clicked. I started to head up the mountain as the shadow laughed, "There's nothing he can do!"  
"Wanna bet?!" I snapped as I drew my saber and began manipulating the sunlight that hit it.  
The light began to shift until it hit the shadow, seering his connection to Lis. Then I focused the light on him until it began to simmer, The shadowy being began to screech in pain as it burned his wispy form. Flames lapped at it's outstretched arms causing him to reel back in agony. In moments I rushed over to Lis, grabbed her by the hand, and we began running up the path. Behind us we could hear his shrieks of rage following us as he tried to hop from shadow to shadow to follow us.  
We were nearly up the trail and near the nest when I felt a tug on my ankle. We knew what it was without having to look as it's claws dug into my shadow. I yelled out in pain as it's claws grew around my ankle like a vice locking onto it.  
"Lis run!" I insisted as I held onto the ledge we had been scailing.  
"Duke!" She cried fearfully.  
"You'll pay for burning me! I'll consume your shadow, leaving you feeling hollow and incomplete you worthless thief!"  
"Lis get out of here!" I yelled.  
"I can't let him do this to you!" She told me as she looked for a way to get him off of me.  
She then looked as though she had an idea. Her sapphire eyes fell upon me, a fire igniting in them, "Please hang on Duke! I know what to do!"  
Lis then vanished over the ledge and into the caverns ahead. I heard her steps grow farther away. Yet as she fled it's claws began dragging me down. I gripped the ledge, trying to get what clearance I could to keep from falling. Somehow I managed to pull myself up, yet beneath me my shadow began to shift. I growled in pain as it began to pick away at it. Piece by piece it pulled bits of my shadow away and held them up over it's jagged jaws. With every piece I felt as though I were missing something. I grew tired as I tried to force myself to my feet. Yet all I could manage was pushing myself up to my hands and knees.  
"Yes, down on all fours, perhaps that's what will I make her do," it laughed wickedly.  
"Leave...leave her alone!" I growled.  
"I can do whatever I want thief, and she will be my toy I assure you, I've not seen such magic in ages," it mocked me as it kicked at what was left of my shadow, causing me to be knocked over on my side.  
It still held my pieces of shadow up over me, taunting me, "How does it feel thief? How does it feel knowing that you could't steal her away from this after all?"  
"How?" I asked weakly.  
"Your shadow knows what you know, and I am the master of shadows," it said firmly.  
"No!" I laughed, "How do ya know I can't steal her away still?"  
Before he could react a burst of light came slashing through the air, hitting him square in the back and through him. He released my shadow and it fled back to the rest of what had been left to me. I felt my energy rush back as I looked to the mouth of the cavern to see Lis standing firmly with the Star Sword in her hands.  
Beside me the shadow creature shrieked and writhed in agony as it tried to piece it's self together.  
I wasted no time in getting up and rushing over to Lis. Quickly I grabbed her hand again and we flew down the cavern paths. We knew we couldn't finish the shadow off, as long as it could sliver away it could regrow. It would be an endless fight.  
"What is happening?" Her Mother asked as we found the nest.  
"It's found her! Tell your children to fly away now!" I ordered.  
"Please Mother fly away with them! It can't get a hold of your magic!" Lis insisted fearfully.  
"And what about you?" She asked worriedly.  
Lis froze unsure of what to do. One of her shaking hands covered her eyes as she nearly broke down. I found myself gripping her shoulders as I stood behind her to offer support.  
We didn't have much more time to think as we heard him laughing down the hall, "I shall have a great feast, and then little girl, you will become a fierce beast!"  
My blood boiled as I found myself stepping between him and Lis.  
"You can't stop me boy!" It promised, "I'll have her shred you to pieces!"  
Before it could move Lis's mother let out a ferocious roar as it breathed an etheral flame at the shadow. It laughed a menacing laugh as it hopped away. In the commotion we failed to see it yet again merge with Lis's shadow now behind us.  
Suddenly Lis let out a scream as her form began to warp with her shadow. Sharp claws emerged from her hands. Her muscles pushed the boundaries of her small frame. Fangs grew from her lips. She fell to her knees and cried out as gargoyleesque wings ripped from her back. A long tail lashed out from the base of her spine. Her skin grew dark as looked up at me frightened as her sapphire eyes fought to stay as clear as ever, yet even they grew clouded.  
"Lis!" I tried to reach out to her.  
Yet in that moment the shadow being began to use her like a puppet. She jumped to her feet unnaturally as she lunged at me with claws lashing at me.  
All I could think to do was dodge her attacks as she clawed at me.  
"Do something! Save your daughter!" I yelled to her mother, "All these years she's spent saving your children to end up like this!"  
"If I harm the shadow she'll perish as well! As long as he dwells in her shadow I can't do anything without harming her!" She told me fearfully.  
I looked to the young girl I had only known for a few days. Seeing her becoming his toy. Knowing I couldn't save her after all.  
"What kind of thief am I that I couldn't steal ya away from this?" I asked her as I looked at her helplessly, "I'm so sorry Lis."  
I noticed her gripping the star sword still with what little control she had. Just as he raised her hand to claw at me once more I watched in awe of what happened instead. With what strength she had over herself she turned and lashed out at her own shadow with the star sword, it's light engulfing it. She and the shadow both screamed as it burned him out of her shadow. It's changes to her burned away as well as she crumbled to the ground.  
"Lis!" I called out as I ran to her, falling to my knees to lift her up into my arms.  
Her actual skin was torched as her shadow barely remained from the attack she had done on it. Her frail form was limp in my arms as she struggled to stay awake.  
"Lis! Come on stay with me sweetheart! Please!" I begged her, "I can still take ya away from here! Ya don't need ta fight alone!"  
She looked at me weakly, "Are...are you hurt? Did I hurt you?"  
"No sweetheart, I'm not hurt," I assured her gently.  
"I'm glad, you're the only friend that has ever fought to help me so much. I couldn't stand the thought of hurting you," she said through tears now.  
Her sapphire eyes closed now and I felt panic over take me as I turned to her mother, "Please! Save her! Do somethin' ta save her life!"  
"Set her down!" She ordered.  
I quickly did as I was told and backed away reluctantly. Before I could do anything else I watched as her mother breathed a crystalized flame, encasing Lis within an egg. Yet as she did Shadow too cast his own spell with the magic aura hovering around him, "Once that egg begins to crack I will come slithering back!"  
Then he vanished.  
Now the egg had formed into a solid gem with Lis sleeping within it. The star sword lay beside my feet where she had dropped it.  
"When this egg breaks she will be healed. Burning her shadow like that nearly left her empty. However saving her this way will come with a cost I'm afraid."  
"What cost?"  
Her mother looked away unable to answer me.  
"When she emerges from that egg you must steal her away as you claimed you would," she told me, "Or he will claim her as he said. Take her to your world."  
"What will happen to her?" I asked again.  
"In time that magic will warp her body as it has merged with her being," she explained, "She'll be one of us unless someone can save her somehow. If she changes into one of us, he will find her no matter where she goes. Her raw magic will be a beacon across dimensions."  
I rested a hand on the egg, wondering if she could sense my presence from within the egg.  
"Only a few days ago I came here. This world turned my childhood dreams upside down. I always wished to rescue a fair maiden, but I never imagined it would be like this," I said.  
While I waited for Lis to emerge from the egg I spent my time helping the dragons to relocate their nest to a new cavern far away from the kingdom. We found a labyrinth protecting it's contents with a known creature that they agreed to live in peace with. I was not permitted inside as they made their new home and built a new pedestal for the star sword once it was able to rest again. As they moved their home I would often remain near Lis to guard what felt like a crystal casket. I wondered when she would wake up. I almost feared she never would.  
In such a short time I found myself missing her. Though most of our conversations lead to her pushing me away I couldn't help but feel there was a curiosity that she was forcing back. I felt like I didn't truly know who she was, but I wanted to.  
Finally after three months of waiting the egg began to crack. I had the Star Sword ready nearby. Her siblings were secure in their new home. Only her mother waited with me to see her once more. As the gemlike egg began to break away I saw her push her way out, stumbling to the ground as she stepped out. I quickly threw my pack over my shoulder as I rushed to greet her.  
"I've got ya sweetheart," I assured her as I helped her up.  
"Duke?" She asked in a whisper of a voice.  
"We have ta go Lis, we don't have much time," I told her sweeping her up into my arms.  
"Wait, go where?" She asked alarmed, as she struggled to find her strength.  
"I'll explain later, but ya have ta trust me Lis!" I insisted as the caverns suddenly grew darker.  
"He's coming," her mother said grimmly, "My child use the star sword to escape and then I will bring it to it's new resting place for now!"  
"I don't understand! What's going on?!" She questioned as she tried to get out of my grip.  
"The dragons will be safe without ya stayin' here! But you have ta leave with me right now!" I told her quickly, handing her the star sword to open the portal.  
"I can't leave my home!" She protested, trying to break free still.  
"This isn't your home anylonger!" Her mother roared angrily, "You must leave here at once!"  
"Mother why?!"  
"Because you must survive!" She insisted with a breaking heart, "Please go!"  
Her mother looked to me, "I will do what I can to keep him at bay, but you must steal her away from this world! Please keep my daughter safe! If you don't I will never forgive you!"  
I nodded understandingly as her mother took flight and began to ignite the cavern entrance to keep the Shadow out for now. I looked to Lis, "Please, use the star sword to open the path like ya did before. Focus on the doorway an' jus' maybe it'll open for us."  
"But my home...the dragons..." she was nearly in tears and it broke my heart to see her so distraught.  
"I know sweetheart, I know," I hugged her tight, "but it's because they love you, okay? An' I can't stand ta see that thing get a hold of ya again. Please Lis, come with me an' I will be there for ya no matter what. I'm your friend, you can trust that if nothin' else."  
As she wept into my chest I felt her shift as she raised the star sword, pointing it ahead. A light began to glow and we heard an unlocking sound as a doorway opened before us. Then as though it had taken away most of her strength she dropped the sword and it clattered on the ground. There was no time to try and do anything but run through the quickly closing portal. Behind us we heard angry shrieks of rage echoing in our ears as the doorway sealed itself shut.  
Then there was silence as we both breathed in the cold air that I knew so well. My boots sank into the deep snow of Puck World as I still carried her. For a while she didn't make a sound as she looked around our surroundings. Though I could feel her shivering from the cold she was unfamiliar with. Also the tears she was crying soaked into my shirt front. My heart cracked as I felt her tremble in my arms. I couldn't even think of what to say to her, nor did I know where to take her from this point.  
"Lis..." I finally said softly as we stood near Drake DuCane's statue now.  
"Please put me down," she answered quietly.  
I set her down gently. Once she was steady I released her as she asked me to. Then she looked around us, taking in the view of what would be her new home. The white of her eyes had redened from crying.  
"Where are we?" She asked quietly.  
"Welcome to my home world Lis," I told her as I placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, "Welcome ta Puck World."  
"It's a lot colder than I'm used to," she shivered now wrapping her arms over her chest.  
I then pulled a blanket from the pack I was carrying and placed it gently over her shoulders. She pulled it close around herself to keep warm.  
"I had a feelin' it would be colder than even your mountains," I chuckled lightly, "But yeah, this is the world I am from."  
She looked around quietly. The night seemed so still and peaceful around us. It was just like when I had left a few months prior.  
"The Brotherhood will be wonderin' where I've been after all this time," I realized out loud, "I know it might not be much ta offer, but our hideout is at least a roof over our heads."  
I then started to walk down the street. I paused when I realized she wasn't following me. I turned around to see her standing still as she watched me uncertainly, "Lis?"  
"If I hadn't opened that portal I wouldn't have had to leave," she said, "If I hadn't tried to reach out to meet someone I would still be with my family right now! Why are you acting so calm about this?!"  
"Lis it's not that, I'm jus' tryin' ta help," I told her.  
"Help?! I'm trapped here because of you!" She snapped.  
"I was trapped in your world, but I didn't blame you!" My temper began to rise a little.  
"That thing is going to hunt them down and all I could do was run away! What good am I if I couldn't even do my only task?!" She demanded, "And again you didn't have to come through the doorway! You could have stayed here!"  
I was trying to be patient. I was trying to understand what she was going through. Yet after waiting for so long for her to wake up, after being so afraid she wouldn't, this was pushing me.  
"Why do ya keep tryin' ta push me away?" I finally asked her, "I have proven ta ya that I am not goin' ta leave ya alone like others from your world did! I wanted ta protect ya from that thing because I-"  
I paused as I looked at her frustrated. What was I even saying? I shook my head as I turned away from her, "I need ta head back ta the others ta let them know I'm back. Come with me or don't. I kept my promise an' you're away from that creature. If I had left ya there it would have warped you again. Would that have been any better?"  
I then headed down the street to return home to my gang. To my surprise I didn't hear her following me. When I turned around I found that she wasn't and my heart sank. My conscience tried to pick at my mind, but I was far too frustrated to listen. Maybe now that she had a new world to explore she would make connections with others. Perhaps someone that wasn't a wanted thief. Thinking that made me feel a bit lonely, but I did my best to ignore it.


	3. Chapter 3

Lis:  
I wandered alone that night, staying far from where I had watched Duke head towards. A part of me wondered why I didn't want to follow him, but the other side of me was too angry to give in. I had survived this long without him or others hadn't I?  
I walked through the empty streets until the sun rose and other people began to emerge from their homes. This modern world was very unlike the realm of magic I knew so well. Here they talked about how it was their weekend and how they didn't need to worry about work or school for the day. Before I was noticed I slipped down an alley and watched in secret as others around my age skated to a nearby park to enjoy a game of what they called hockey. I used the blanket I had as a make shift poncho and hood as I walked among the crowds.  
After a while I found myself sitting on some steps watching some teenagers playing their game. I had kept the hood over my head to hide the fact that I wasn't like them. Yet a cold wind caught me off guard and knocked it back. Revealing my human form to the three nearby. I hoped they hadn't noticed as I quickly pulled it back over my head.  
"Woah!" One of the teenagers exclaimed as he skated over to me with curiosity in his eyes.  
At the moment I had been sitting with my knees hugged to my chest. Yet as he and his two friends approached I tried to jump up to run. Yet my energy was nearly tapped out at this point and I faultered.  
"Hey there girly-girl!" The young man greeted cheerfully, "Are you an alien?"  
I looked at him confused. He looked at me, easily seeing now that I wasn't a duck like them, "You are! That's so cool!"  
"Dive you're being rude," his older companion scolded.  
"But look big bro!" He insisted as he looked at me still.  
"What in the world?" His brother stammered in surprise.  
I felt very afraid all of the sudden. What would they think? What would they do?  
"Hey," the younger brother said in a careful tone, "Are you in some sort of trouble?"  
I looked at him surprised. Then my growling stomach gave me away. As did my torn up clothes.  
"Nosedive what are you doing?" His brother asked as he offered me a hand up.  
"She needs help Wildwing! Let's get her some food before she passes out!" He insisted, giving me no option but to accept his hand as he pulled me to my feet.  
Nosedive smiled as he then helped me along to a place to have food called a resturant. They helped me order? I felt so lost in this realm. I was at the mercy of their kindness.  
"Where are you from girly-girl?" Nosedive asked me while we were waiting for our food.  
"A different realm," was all I could think to say, "but I can't go back."  
"Why not?" Wildwing enquired.  
"There's something dangerous there, if I go back it'll find me," I said as flashes from a few months ago raced through my head.  
My body ached as it remembered warping into whatever shadow wanted. I remembered hearing Duke call out to me to try and reach me. I felt how badly I didn't want to hurt him in those moments. Before I knew it I was crying in front of these strangers.  
"It's okay, you're safe with us," the third young man assured calmly.  
"How did you end up here?" He asked.  
"Someone brought me here, he was trying to save me," I knew this, but I was still so angry with everything.  
"Another alien?" Nosedive asked.  
I shook my head, "No, he's from here. He ended up in my world for a short time and then brought me here."  
"Why isn't he with you now?" Wildwing asked with concern in his voice.  
I looked away feeling so frustrated, "I'm not really sure."  
Our food was brought out and I thankfully ate the meal provided for me. They then helped me to aquire clothing better suited for blending in with their world. I tried to resist, but Nosedive insisted. So I chose a pair of what they called cargo pants, a t-shirt, and a vest that had a hood attached to it. Once I had changed I discarded the torn up clothing I had been wearing.  
I spent the day with the three of them. Wildwing, Nosedive, and Canard. After a while I grew more comfortable around them. Yet I couldn't help but worry about where Duke was now.  
"Do you need a place to stay?" Nosedive offered as it grew darker again.  
I wasn't sure how to answer. A part of me wanted to say yes and go with them, yet my concerns pulled at my mind now.  
"I thank you for your kindness, but I need to find someone," I told them sincerely.  
"The one that brought you here?" Wildwing asked.  
I nodded.  
"If you need a friend out there Lis, you've got three right here okay?" Wildwing assured, "Think of us as brothers that will look out for you."  
In only a day in this new world and I was closer to the three of them than I had ever been to anyone, but the dragons, back home. I smiled genuinely as I hugged each of them and then headed deeper into the city where he had vanished the night before.

Duke:  
Upon arriving back at the Brotherhood I had found that in our world I had only been gone a week. It was mind boggling to find how differently time had flowed. Yet that had actually been fortunate for me as I didn't have to worry about a rival of mine gunning for my spot after a long absence. My gang was used to me disappearing for a week once in a while whether for a mission or otherwise.  
Though Ebony was still quite frustrated with me, and it was worse now that I still evaded her advances.  
"Duke, your fairytale maiden doesn't exist!" She snapped as I stepped aside away from her.  
I raised a brow at her specific chosen words. I almost laughed, "If only ya knew the half of it!"  
Yet this also brought her to the forefront in my mind again. I had tried to ignore my worries for her throughout the day. Though guilt had crept up into my head. I had left her alone. Frustrated or not I knew I had let her down when she needed someone. She had just been ripped from all that she had known and my pride got in the way. For a moment I may have made her think that I regreted entering her world and meeting her. When that simply wasn't so. A part of me even missed that world already.  
It was these thoughts that brought me out that very next night looking for her. Dressed in my usual attire again I searched the streets for any sign of the young girl I had brought here. After a few hours of searching I had nearly given up. I now found myself at the statue of Drake Ducane yet again, my feet sinking into the cold snow. The thin fabric of my bodysuit felt oddly cold as I looked around the park nearby.  
"Where are ya?" I asked the night air.  
For a moment I wondered if she had found someone else to help her. My doubts from the night before began to swarm my mind, knowing what I was in this world. Of course she would seek out other company. I hit the iron railing with my balled fist.  
Then I turned around and my heart leapt to my throat.  
There she stood before me in her new clothes. Her arms crossed over her chest as she shook from the cold around her. Again the tears in her eyes tore my heart into pieces as she looked up at me.  
"I'm sorry," I told her as I opened my arms for her out of hope.  
"I am too," she said trembling as she walked over to me and into my waiting arms.  
All I could think to do then was hold her as she cried.  
"It's okay sweetheart, I'm not goin' ta leave ya alone like that again," I promised her, "I know I can't offer much but I will keep ya safe."  
"I know you were trying to save me from that Shadow, I know it's because you care about me, but I just don't know what to do! I was supposed to be strong enough and I couldn't!"  
"You were strong Lis, don't ya doubt that for a moment," I told her as I looked into her sapphire eyes again, "You were strong enough ta not let him keep control of ya. Your bond with them is why they wanted you to survive. They, especially your mother, loved you. An' I..."  
She looked at me curiously through her tears. I tried to convince myself that I still didn't know what I was trying to say. Yet my heart was trying to tell me something else as I looked at her.  
"Let's go home sweetheart," I said to her as I pulled away to then take hold of her hand. She nodded her head as she whiped her tears away and smiled slightly.  
When we entered the hideout my gang members didn't know what to say. I could see jealousy flash in Ebony's eyes. I noticed a similar expression on the faces of the other girls in our group.  
"She is a part of our group now, I will have no one argue this understand?"  
"I knew you were growing soft Duke, but I never expected this," Falcone mocked from the corner of the room.  
"Is this why you were gone for a week?" Ebony demanded.  
Lis looked to me confused as I explained, "It appears time passes by differently here."  
She was standing behind me at the moment as I confronted my fellow thieves.  
Ebony glared at Lis. Lis in turn tried to back away.  
"Is this the fairytale maiden you wanted so badly?" Ebony spat with venom in her voice.  
"That's enough Ebony!" I warned, "Your jealousy is gettin' out of hand."  
"Jealous of this alien girl?" She laughed.  
"So it would seem," one of my friends, Silver, agreed.  
Ebony looked at Lis again, nearly losing her temper as she turned and stormed down the hallway. I pulled my arm away from Lis to then wrap it around her to pull her close to me in an attempt to comfort her.  
"This is unusual Duke," my friend Trent admitted.  
Trent was our group medic and a long time friend of mine. He dressed mostly in dark shades of green with a long dark coat over his bodysuit. His hair was short and black with calm green eyes to match his clothing.  
"Maybe so, but I can't leave her out there Trent, I gave my word ta keep her safe," I said firmly.  
Trent looked at Lis curiously, "I've never heard you speak like that before Duke. This strange girl must mean something to you to make such a promise."  
Lis looked to me again, I smiled, "Of course she does."  
"Understood," Trent said.  
I noticed as Falcone rolled his eyes. Then he left when he noticed me watching him carefully.  
Once Lis and I were certainly alone in my room I decided to warn her of Falcone. I told her how since I'd become leader he had become more ruthless than I'd known him to be before.  
"I know you've fought plenty of hunters and thugs before, but please be careful around him okay? Try not ta be caught alone with him if at all possible," I warned her.  
"What about Ebony?" She asked me.  
I shook my head, "She'll cool off with some time. She's jus' not used ta not gettin' what she wants. Don't worry about her too much."  
"Where will my room be?" She then asked and I noticed how exhausted she was.  
"You can stay in here for now, we'll figure out a room for you over the next few days. For now you can stay in here with me," I offered.  
"Duke?" She looked at me uncertainly.  
"It's alright sweetheart," I assured her as I offered her my bed, "Jus' get some rest for now okay?"  
She finally nodded her head as she gave in to her exhaustion. As she began to crawl into the bed I found a blanket and draped it over her carefully. As she drifted off to sleep I brushed my fingers through her hair to brush her bangs out of her face. I thought of what she had been through in such a short bit of time.  
"I will keep ya safe sweetheart, ya don't have ya fight alone anymore," I promised her as I tossed myself onto the worn sofa nearby.  
Then I watched her quietly as she dreamed before I too fell fast asleep. For now we were both safe and together yet again. My worries were tossed to the side for the time being.  
I awoke the next morning to find Lis missing from the bed. I jumped off of the sofa and hurried out of my room.  
"Lis?" I called down the hall, "Lis where are ya?"  
I nearly ran passed the galley, but caught a glimpse of her burgundy hair just before I did.  
"Duke?" She asked as she turned around in her seat at the counter.  
I was leaning abit against the doorway as I caught my breath and tried to settle my heartbeat. Then I walked over to her as I admitted, "I thought you had left..."  
"I was just getting my bearings," she told me, "I was careful."  
After getting a bite to eat I started showing her around our hideout. I showed her wear our infirmary and wreck rooms were. I also lead her around to show where our sparring room and meeting room were. So far it seemed no one else was really up and about yet. It gave me time to talk to her without dealing with anyone else for the moment.  
After what felt like months of being away it seemed so strange to me being home. It felt even odder having her in our hideout. She was used to sprawling mountains, entangled caverns, flying on a dragon's back. Now here she was hiding in a den with a gang of thieves in a modern realm. It almost felt unreal. Yet she seemed to be taking in everything in stride.  
"So am I to join your gang?" She asked me curiously.  
I paused as I looked at her. A part of me wanted to say if she wished to, but the other part wanted to protect her from this kind of life. I didn't want her to worry about running from the law and staying hidden. That was the life I had been trying to save her from wasn't it?  
"I wasn't goin' ta make ya do anythin' like that sweetheart," I answered carefully, "I only mean ta give ya a safe place to stay."  
I then noted her new clothes she had gotten the day before. She seemed to notice.  
"I met some friends yesterday," she told me, "If you would rather me leave they offered me a place to stay."  
"You could have," I told her half heartedly, "It may have been safer for ya to do that."  
I then looked at her curiously, "Why didn't you?"  
Lis looked away from me, her cheeks turning a soft pink as she spoke, "I...I wanted to find you..."  
"You were lookin' for me last night?" I asked her, "Wait...ya chose ta find me rather than stay with them?"  
She nodded quietly. Something in my chest tried again to connect with her, but was distracted when my name was called from down the hall. Another of our gang came down the hall with Ebony close behind him.  
"If it isn't the fantasy girl," Ebony mocked hautily, "Really Duke I think we've humored this long enough."

Lis:  
I felt myself backing away. After spending most of my life away from others I wasn't used to this. I wasn't used to staying around others. Ebony reminded me of those at home that had chased me out of town. I found myself wanting to leave again. Yet as I glanced at Duke for a moment, I also found myself fighting this instinct.  
"Why are you even here? What are you?" She demanded.  
"What does it matter what I am?" I asked, "I was told this is my home now. I've done nothing to you."  
I recalled what Duke had said about her jealousy.  
"You have no reason to be jealous," I told her without thinking further than that.  
"Why would I be jealous of a strange girl like you?" She demanded.  
I shrugged, "I don't know either, but you seem to be."  
Before I could react her hand went flying towards me, but was caught by Duke.  
"That's enough Ebony, leave her alone," he said firmly as he released her hand.  
I let out a nervous breath as Ebony glared at me before heading past me to go down the hall.  
"Don't let her get ta ya Lis," Duke said to me.  
"Duke, I don't know what I'm supposed to do. For the last eight years I knew my purpose. I was to protect my family, but now I just feel lost," I said without realizing that Duke's friend was still nearby.  
"Where on Puck World did you come from?" The one known as Trent questioned.  
I wasn't sure how to answer.  
"Duke where did you find this girl?" He asked his leader.  
"It's a lot ta try an' explain Trent," Duke said, "All that matters is that she lives here now, if that's what she wants."  
I looked up at him a bit surprised when he said that last part.  
"What she wants? If she leaves she'll be a huge risk to our gang," Trent pointed out.  
Duke shook his head, "She wouldn't tell anyone Trent. Trust me on that," he said.  
Duke then looked to his friend, "Did ya need me for somethin'?"  
"We need to plan the next job. We've been waiting a week for your input. Some of the others are getting restless, and Falcone has been impossible to deal with," Trent explained.  
"I'll deal with Falcone," Duke assured with an annoyed tone, "Get everyone together in the meeting room an' I'll be there in a few minutes."  
Trent nodded as he looked at me for a moment. Then he left to gather the rest of their gang.  
Once we were alone again I found myself following behind Duke again.  
"Lis," he said, breaking the long silence between us, "I won't make ya stay here if ya don't want to. You can choose the life ya want now."  
I thought for a bit before I answered him. I thought about my life over the last few years defending the dragons I knew and our home. My life had been set before me for so long. Every day I got up and stayed close to my siblings to protect them. Occassionally I would go into town only to be chased out soon after. The only other interactions I had were fending off hunters. Then he came in. I looked up at the drake standing before me.  
"Everything I've ever known has been turned upside down, because of you," I said quietly.  
"Same," he laughed softly as he looked back at me.  
I found myself smiling for the first time in a while as he did as well.  
"I do need an answer though Lis," he said with uncertainty returning to his voice, "I promise I'll understand if ya want ya leave this place. Ya don't have ta become a thief jus' because I am. You can find your new friends again, I'll bring ya ta them if that's what ya want."  
"Do you want me to leave?" I asked nervously.  
Duke looked away, "It doesn't matter what I want Lis. I want ta know what you want to do. After years of havin' someone else decide your life for ya, you deserve ta choose what ya want."  
I watched him as he stood before me. We could both hear his gang gathering down the hall in the meeting room.  
He then let out a deep breath before speaking again, "I'll take ya ta them tonight. If ya stay here you won't have a choice in anythin' again. You'll have to hide from the world rather than enjoy it. I don't want that for you after you've been isolated so long. You have a chance at a free life, I won't take that from you."  
"How is that letting me choose?" I heard myself ask, feeling myself growing angry.  
"Lis it's not like that," he told me as he looked down the hall and then back to me, "But if ya stay here you'll become a fugitive. With these new friends you'll have a better life."  
Tears brimmed my eyes as I looked away from him. Why was I getting so upset? Why did it even matter? This was what I was used to wasn't it? Besides, then he could go back to his normal life. I had already taken enough of his time trapping him in my realm for so long. I found myself wondering why he had bothered looking for me if he wanted me to leave?  
"I'll leave Duke," I told him bitterly, "I can find my way back to them on my own."  
"Lis," he tried to say, but I wasn't willing to listen.  
I thought about the short time we had spent together. I found myself wishing I had never met him. Then maybe my heart wouldn't be burning as it was now. He wanted to save me from Shadow, take me from my home, only to do this?  
"Lis," Duke tried again as he rested his hand on my shoulder, "Sweetheart, please. It's not that I don't want ya around. Please believe me."  
"Why?" I questioned.  
"Lis, I don't want ya ta end up behind bars! Believe me I don't want ya ta leave-"  
He paused after he realized what he had said. He then took a deep breath as he looked at me eye to eye, "Lis...It's not that I want ya away from me sweetheart. Far from it. But for your own sake I have ta do this. After seein' what Shadow did ta ya an' seein' ya trapped in a case for months, I want ya ta know what real freedom is. You won't get that stayin' with me here."  
"But I won't get to see you," I slipped before biting my lip.  
"Lis?" He asked with a shocked expression in his eyes.  
"I...I want to stay with you..." I heard myself say in spite of everything.  
"Lis, you won't-"  
"I want to decide, and I want to stay here with you. If you want me around..."  
He paused before finally admitting, "Of course I do sweetheart. I jus' want ta protect ya too."  
"I don't need to be protected like that," I reminded him, "I don't want to leave you again. Trust me to know how to make my own choice as you've been wanting me to."  
Finally Duke stood up again as he sighed. Then a smile broke through as he looked at me, "If that's what ya really want sweetheart, I won't dare try ta stop you."  
We then heard his name being called from down the hall again as his gang were all gathered. As he turned to look back I watched him carefully, for the first time seeing this different side to him. I found myself following him to the meeting room where they discussed their next job together. I stayed near Duke and Trent for the most part. Though I kept my guard up knowing Falcone and Ebony were both there as well.  
While I watched Duke something about him seemed different. For the first time I was seeing him as their leader. As the thief he told me he was. There was a confidence to him that I found myself starting to admire. And for the first time I really noticed the uniform he was wearing, the one he was wearing when he'd found me the night before. The one he was wearing when we first met a few months ago. While in my realm we had gotten him clothes to blend in with. Yet now, I couldn't help but notice how striking he looked in what he was wearing. As I listened and watched him I could feel my face growing warm somehow, but wasn't sure as to why.  
Across the table I could see Ebony glaring at me, but I paid her little mind as Duke talked through their plans for their next heist. I already knew she didn't like me. There wasn't much I could do to change that.  
"So we'll head out tomorrow night for our next job, everyone take today to prepare and rest up," Duke concluded.  
I looked around to each member, trying to remember who was who. I had met Trent a few times. Ebony and Falcone were failry easy to recall. Silver seemed a bit younger than Duke, but a few years older than myself. His hair matched his name and he wore an all black suit with silver accents at his wrists and ankles. His feathers were like that of the snow outside. He seemed friendly enough and didn't seem bothered by me being there. There were two other ladies there as well. One with deep varying shades of blue in her hair with dark feathers. She wore a genieesque outfit with belled bottoms to her leggings and a vest over her top. Her outfit was as dark in shade as the night sky and her eyes were like starlight. The other beside her had short blonde hair with peach feathers that wore an outfit similar to Silver, but with gold. Each of them wielded a blade of some sort. Both of them seemed to ignore me.  
"What about the new girl?" The blue haired woman questioned as she eyed me with contempt.  
"Let her be for now. She's been through enough for the moment," Duke said.  
"Duke you don't need to do that," I protested, "I can help. Maybe I can at least be a lookout?"


	4. Chapter 4

Duke:  
I looked at Lis a bit surprised by this.  
"She's got a spark to her," Silver said to me quietly, "Is that what you see in this strange girl?"  
I shrugged him off for the moment, shaking my head.  
"Out of the question, we don't need you out there messing up this job," Ebony said quickly.  
"I won't mess it up," Lis said, refusing to back away this time.  
"Duke, you're the leader," Falcone taunted, "You make this call."  
"Lis are ya sure ya want ta do this?" I asked her.  
"I'm not just going to sit around, I want to be useful," she said to the group in a clear voice, "Duke knows what I can do. He knows I'm more capable than I probably appear."  
I thought about her life back in her home. She wasn't wrong, and I didn't know why I was treating her differently than I had there. Since finding her the previous night I had found myself becoming protective of her. Yet I knew she was a capable fighter. And her and I both knew what she weilded in her core.  
"Lis can do this guys. She's a part of this group now, remember? So she can do her part," I confirmed with a confident smile as I looked over at her.  
I watched Ebony's eyes spark with anger as Lis nodded a quiet thank you. Yet she didn't speak.  
Most of the group then cleared out, leaving Silver, Lis, and myself. Once it was quiet Silver burst out laughing, holding his sides as he looked at us.  
"What's so funny?" I questioned.  
"You have made her so mad!" Silver chuckled.  
Silver then looked at Lis with a friendly smile, "You've got spirit. I can see why he likes you. You're very different, but if that's what catches Duke's interest-"  
"Silver," I warned lightly.  
"Thank you," Lis said, "I'm not really used to being around others. I want to help where I can."  
"Where did you find this girl?" Silver asked.  
"It's a long story," I said.  
Silver looked over Lis for a moment, "She's going to need different clothes for a heist."  
"I hadn't thought of that," I admitted looking over her outfit now.  
"I think I got it covered," Silver nudged me as he threw an arm around Lis's shoulders and began escorting her away.  
"Where are ya takin' her Silver?" I questioned.  
Lis looked just as confused as she was lead away.  
"Trust me, I've got an idea," Silver assured while Lis looked to me for help.  
Yet Silver wouldn't allow me to protest any further as he walked her down and around the corner of the hall.

Lis:  
"You can trust me," Silver insisted as he lead me to a supply room.  
"Why are you helping me?" I asked hesitantly.  
Once it was clear we were far from Duke Silver released me. Though he still smiled in a friendly manner as I followed him to a cabinet filled with fabric.  
"It's been a while since I've seen Duke react like that," Silver started to explain, "Since he's been leader it's as though he put all personal interests aside. It's to be expected to a degree, but I was getting worried about him. Then you drop in and it's like something in him woke up."  
Silver was rummaging through different materials before finally finding what it seemed he was after. He pulled out a bolt of burgundy fabric and some black to go with it.  
"So what is it you have in mind?" I enquired as he held the fabric up against me.  
"You'll both like it, trust me," Silver assured me before giving a warning, "But it will make Ebony all the more angry. But I don't think that really matters at this point."  
"I don't understand why she's so jealous," I said.  
"Ah, so you're both kind of clueless," he laughed bluntly.  
"Clueless?"  
"Well that might not be the right word. For you I think it's being naive. As for Duke, I'm not really sure," Silver shrugged as he grabbed some thread.  
"Follow me," he instructed as he carried the supplies down the hall to a different room.  
I then walked along behind him until we came to a closed bedroom door. Silver gave it a nervous knock as he juggled the materials.  
"Go away!" A woman's voice snapped quickly from the other side.  
"Come on sis, it's me!" Silver called through the door, "I need your help with something."  
Inside we heard a tired sigh and then reluctant steps. The door opened to reveal the blue haired woman from before. Upon seeing the both of us she slammed the door shut again.  
"Sis don't be like that!" Silver pleaded, "Like it or not she's a part of our group now and needs a suit for tomorrow!"  
"Make it yourself Silver!"  
"I can't, it won't look right!" Silver insisted, "Come on, you're not still hung up on Duke after all this time? Are you really going to take it out on her?"  
I wanted to back away hearing that. Yet then the door opened again and the young woman looked at me again.  
"I don't get it," she said bitterly.  
"I'm sorry?" I said nervously.  
"Sis, if it really bothered you that much you wouldn't have stuck around," Silver said to her carefully.  
"I stick around for your sake Silver," she retorted.  
"I'm not that accident prone," he teased.  
"Look, it's okay. I've made my own clothes before, I can do it again," I finally said with a nervous sigh, "I just need a needle and thread?"  
The young woman looked at me with a raised brow. Then she shook her head before taking the materials from Silver.  
"Get in here both of you," she ordered.  
We hurried into the room and Silver closed the door behind us. Before I knew it I was being measured and having fabric thrown onto me.  
"Thanks sis," Silver laughed as he helped hand her what she requested.  
"You had to choose his colors?" She realized.  
I too had noticed the familiar shades of burgundy and black that were being sewn together.  
"So it's Lis then?" She asked me suddenly as she worked on one of the sleeves.  
I nodded, "And you?"  
"Saffire," she answered in a very short tone.  
I then watched as she went to her desk and started up her sewing machine. Every so often she would stop to compare what she had done so far with my frame.  
"Remove your vest please," she instructed, "Actually Silver, get out."  
Silver quickly did as he was told and headed out into the hallway.  
"Alright, let's see how this fits so far," Saffire said as she instructed me to change.  
I didn't argue and did what I was asked. Then she handed me the top part of the bodysuit she had been sewing. I pulled it on over my head and it soon clung to my frame. Like Duke's it went up to my neck. Yet the sleeves were flared out like those of a medieval dress. It felt oddly familiar to how I dressed back home.  
"That looks about right," she noted before getting to work on the next part, "You can change back now."  
So I did. Then Silver was let back in.  
"Thank you, for your help," I finally said nervously.  
"It's fine," she said still sounding annoyed.  
"Did Duke...did he hurt you?" I found myself asking.  
The room got very quiet in response. Silver looked to his sister seeming to feel a bit anxious now.  
"No, not really," Saffire sighed as she leaned back in her chair, "I'm not even that mad anymore."  
"Could have fooled me," Silver laughed shortly before recieving a glare from his sister.  
Saffire looked over at me, a patience showing in her starlight shaded eyes, "I thought I had feelings for our leader some time ago. I did what I could to get his attention, but he clearly wasn't interested. He didn't even lead me on or anything, I just ignored the signs that he tried to give me. He's just very charming...too charming for his own good."  
"Now Ebony has gone through it," Silver said, "And quite recently. That's why she's so sore towards you. It's not really Duke's fault though."  
"She doesn't really need to be bothered by me," I tried to say.  
Silver smirked, "I'm not so sure."  
I noticed as Saffire rolled her eyes before continuing on with the project in front of her.  
Before long she had finished and handed the full bodysuit to me to try on. Silver stepped out to allow me to change. I did just that and looked into the mirror Saffire lead me to. Behind she gave a sly, prideful smile, like an artisan admiring their work. It was very close to Duke's with some differences mainly in the sleeves and the gloves were longer as they slipped beneath them. It fit my form perfectly. I then realized this was my first time looking into an actual mirror in years and could see what I really looked like without a distorted reflection. As I would in a pond or cavern wall.  
"Not bad if I do say so myself," Saffire admitted as she looked over her work, having me turn around for her.  
Silver was summoned again to get a second opinion. He nodded with a friendly smirk, "Perfect. Exactly what I had in mind too."  
"Thank you, both of you," I said to them both as I looked at the outfit I was now wearing.  
"You should wait until tomorrow night to show Duke though," Silver suggested as his sister shot a glare at him again.  
"Why?" I asked.  
"Trust me on this, it will be worth it," Silver insisted.  
"Why are you doing all of this?" I questioned uncertainly, unused to such interactions.  
"Because Duke is a good friend of mine, and you seem to be important to him one way or another," Silver said simply with a shrug.  
"But what about Saffire?"  
"It's fine," Saffire said, letting out a deep breath, "I really am over it. And I'd rather it be you than Ebony."  
"I don't understand," I said bewildered.  
Silver tilted his head, giving a curious expression, "Well, what does Duke mean to you?"  
I was a bit startled by the question. Recent memories from a few months ago ran through my mind. We really had only known each other for a few days before I was sealed away. I recalled what it felt like to be isolated in the egg, feeling so alone and frightened. Yet then I also thought for a moment that I felt warm at times, as though perhaps he were beside me. As though he were talking to me as he waited those three months for me to wake up. I remembered what Shadow had tried to make me do, and how much I fought to not do it. To not harm him.  
"He was the first person to reach out to me," I found myself saying to them, "Where I'm from I'm not exactly welcome."  
"Where you're from? Wait, did Duke go to your world?" Silver exclaimed.  
I nervously told them a bit about Duke's and my time in my realm together. I felt it better to not mention Shadow for now. Though I told them about my upbringing with the dragons and how Duke had come to meet me. Though I wasn't sure why I felt I could trust these two with this.  
"So he litterally went to a fantasy world and pulled you out of it?" Silver nearly laughed in disbelief.  
Saffire looked over me a bit surprised, "So we're to believe you have magic in you?"  
I nodded nervously, "I understand if you don't. I don't understand really understand it either."  
"Duke spent what felt like three months there, but it was only a week here? That's insane," Silver said.  
"Why did it take so long for you both to come here then?" Saffire noticed I had left something out.  
I tried to shake the fear deep down in my core when I thought of Shadow. I didn't even want to mention his name.  
"Something happened...I was hurt badly and had to recover. While I was out Duke looked after things in my place," was all I could think to say.  
Silver and Saffire looked to each other, both with unsure expressions over their faces.  
"So let me get this straight," Silver started, "You're telling us that Duke waited for what he thought was a few months for you to recover. Meaning he thought we were here without him leading for those same few months."  
"I promise you it wasn't his fault! I never meant for him to be trapped there!" I insisted, panic setting in now, "It really wasn't his intention to stay away like that!"  
Then Silver chuckled, "I've heard all I need to hear."  
Saffire nodded in agreement.  
"I swear it wasn't his fault!" I tried to say.  
"We know," Saffire assured me.  
"What?"  
"We believe you Lis, it's okay," Silver assured me.  
"I don't understand..."  
"Give it time, I think you will soon," Silver promised me.

Duke:  
I hadn't seen Lis around for a good few hours at this point and had grown a bit worried. Had she changed her mind and left to find her new friends after all? She wasn't in any of the common areas. I was still looking around the halls when Falcone turned the corner to greet me. I paused in my steps and looked at him ready to deal with whatever he had to say this time.  
"So you haven't gone missing again?" He taunted.  
"I'm not in the mood Falcone," I said dryly.  
"You realize that bringing her here was a mistake don't you?" He asked with a smirk, "An innocent girl like her seeing you for what you really are? Or perhaps it means you're growing soft?"  
"I don't need ta prove anythin' ta you Falcone," I said as I went to walk by him.  
"Why did you bring her here Duke?" He pushed, "Do you plan to break her heart the way you did to Ebony or even Saffire?"  
"I never tried ta pull them along," I pointed out, "An' it isn't like that with Lis. She needed help, so I brought her here."  
"Is that so? If she needed help then why bother yourself with her and not send her elsewhere?" He questioned, "Face it Duke, you wanted her here didn't you? You're becoming soft because of that strange girl."  
Rather than saying anything else I simply walked passed him. As I continued down the hall I heard him laughing mockingly before heading elsewhere himself.  
Several more minutes passed by before I finally heard her voice in a nearby room. I was surprised to hear her coming from Saffire's room. Inside I could also hear Silver laughing about something.  
I knocked on the door to hear a sudden scrambling. For a brief moment I heard Silver hush someone before stepping out quickly into the hallway, closing the door hastily behind him.  
"Why if it isn't our leader," he greeted.  
"What's goin' on Silver?" I asked, seeing past his cherade.  
"Nothing really. Just getting to know our new comrade a bit," he told me.  
I was a bit surprised by this, "What did she tell you?"  
"Nothing much," he teased, "Just a bit about where you found her. How you were gone for what felt like months?"  
"Look, I had no way ta get back sooner, an' it wasn't her fault," I said.  
Silver laughed again, "Funny, she said something similar to that."  
"It's alright Duke, we know," he then assured me.  
Then the door opened again as Lis and Saffire both stepped out. Lis was holding a parcel that was hastily closed shut.  
"She's all ready for tomorrow," Saffire said patting Lis's shoulder.  
"Wait, you helped?" I asked a but surprised by this.  
"Don't get used to it," Saffire warned.  
"Thank you," Lis said to them both.  
"No problem," Silver assured her.  
Then I looked to Lis as I asked if she wanted to get dinner together. She accepted my offer as she followed me down the hall again. For a little while I noticed how quiet she was.  
"You okay sweetheart?" I finally asked her as we headed to our shared room for the night.  
At first she didn't answer.  
"Lis?" I attempted again once we were inside my bedroom.  
"Duke..." she said quietly as she clutched the parcel in her arms nervously, "I still don't know how to feel about being here. Everything has changed so suddenly. Two days ago I was home, and now all of this is happening. Even you and I only knew each other for a few days before..."  
She then set the parcel down on the bed.  
"Before Shadow?" I pushed gently only to watch her shudder.  
Her hands covered her face as she tried to force back those harsh memories we both carried. I found myself approaching her quickly as I pulled her into my arms.  
"Hey...it's okay sweetheart. You're safe from him. He can't find ya in this world," I assured her.  
"Why? Why are you doing all of this? You only knew me for a few days, and then you were stuck in my world for months while I was in that egg," she said through her frustration, "Why are you risking so much for someone you hardly know? People from my own world barely looked at me, and you-?"  
I was a bit stunned by her questions. I hadn't realized how short of time it had really had been. Yet at the same time I didn't really care about that. Instead I looked again into those eyes of hers, and I realized just how much I had missed her while she slept. Despite the anger and confusion she was going through now, I could still see the real her trying to form before my eyes. That fire I saw in her when we first met.  
"Duke..." she suddenly whispered before breaking down crying, the weight of everything that had happened falling on her shoulders.  
Before she crumbled to the floor I quickly wrapped my arms around her and just let her cry into my shirt. Her fears, her cruel memories, her missing her home and what family she had, everything came to the surface all at once.  
"I've got ya Lis. I know it's a lot ta take in. I know everythin' changed so quickly, for both of us," I told her gently, "but not all of it has ta be bad sweetheart."  
She looked up at me with tears still in her reddened eyes.  
"Jus' give things some time, but while ya get used ta this new home I will keep ya safe. I will look out for ya. Jus' because no one did before doesn't mean I will stop now," I assured her as she continued to cry.  
I found myself running one hand through her hair as I held onto her. Once again my chest burned as she trembled in my arms.  
"I'm sorry," she sobbed, "I don't mean to..."  
I hugged her tighter, "No sweetheart. It's okay. You go ahead an' cry as much as ya need to tonight. We'll get through all of this together, I promise ya."  
So she did just that. She wept for her mother and the other dragons. She told me how alone she had felt growing up and then again as she slept. She expressed how frightened she was of Shadow despite facing him as she had. And as she cried I continued to hold onto her to try and support her. To help her find her strength again. To let her know she didn't have to face everything alone anymore. Until finally she gave in to the fatigue that followed these intense emotions and began to drift off to sleep. Then I carefully lifted her up into my arms and carried her over to the bed.  
Yet when I went to pull away to allow her to sleep, I felt her reaching out to me as she slept. I then found myself unwilling to move away from her until I too fell asleep still holding her protectively.  
"I'm here sweetheart, it's okay now," I repeated just before closing my eyes.

Lis:  
Through the night I dreamed memories from my home left behind. I could see our caverns from the clouds above as we flew towards them. Mother greeted us as we arrived, comforted by our safe return. Yet just as she went to stretch her wing out to hug me with it a dark being loomed over our heads, reaching for us. Then my own shadow began to twist and contort.  
"Lis!" His voice called through my nightmares, "Lis it's okay!"  
A burst of light erupted from my chest, spreading around us and the shadow disapated. Seemingly sealed away for now. Then I sunk into mother's embrace, safely tucked under her large wings as I clung to her.  
When I awoke I found myself clinging to someone. Almost forgetting where I was I jumped up before it came back to me. I looked to see Duke sound asleep, his arm draped over me as I had slept. The room around us was dark as their were no windows in the hideout that I had seen.  
As though woken up from my movements he opened his brown eyes.  
"Hey," he greeted in a heavy, tired voice.  
"You didn't have to..." I tried to say, "Last night...I'm sorry..."  
Duke sat up, shaking his head as he rested a gentle hand on my shoulder, "Don't worry about it sweetheart. I've never done anythin' I didn't want ta do."  
I was thankful for the darkened room that hid my face now growing warm again.  
"Ready for tonight?" He asked as I was soon following him to the galley.  
I nodded quietly. At the moment I was reaquainting myself with their hideout. It seemed rather still and calm as we walked through the halls.  
"Where is everyone?" I wondered aloud.  
"Probably getting ready; honing their skills, sparring, things like that," he said casualy.  
"What about you?" I enquired, "You've been away for so long."  
Duke gave a slight chuckle, "That doesn't mean I haven't been keepin' my skills sharp."  
I looked at him a bit puzzled.  
"While you recoverd I sparred an' practiced with locks around town," he admitted, "I didn't take anythin', jus' practiced. I used the gems that your siblings brought me ta trade for food an' supplies."  
"What exactly happened while I was out?" I then questioned.  
"We took turns watchin' over ya, your mother and I. During that time she relocated the nest to a new cavern better hidden from the public. When she was helping her young dragons I stayed with you. I really only left your side ta get food an' such," he told me, "An' I helped get rid of evidence of their nest an' scatter it around so they couldn't be tracked easily."  
"Why did you do all of that? It was my task to watch over them," I protested.  
"It was your task ta recover sweetheart," he told me firmly, "We did this so you could escape an' stay safe."  
Yet then he paused, as though remembering something. He handed me some fruit that was on the counter as he stayed quiet.  
"Duke, what's wrong?" I asked.  
"Lis, ya need ta know somethin' about the egg you were in," he started carefully, "Your mother saved your life, but it came with a price. With everythin' that happened since she told me I had forgotten until now."  
"What is the price?" I enquired.  
"The magic she encased you in could change you one day. If that happens Shadow will be able ta find you," he told me.  
Fear crept into my core as I looked at my own shadow and then back to him.  
"While you're here we're goin' ta find out a way ta keep that from happenin'. We'll figure this out together. You're not facin' this alone," he assured me.

Duke:  
I could see that she was still frightened despite my words. However I couldn't blame her. I had seen with my own eyes what that creature could do, and what it had done to her. I quickly walked over to her from across the kitchen of the galley and hugged her. It was all I could think to do to show her she had someone's support.  
"I'm sorry Lis, but we will figure this out. He won't find you here," I promised her as I held her tightly.  
"What a soft, sweet sentiment," Falcone's voice taunted as he entered the room.  
"What do you want?" I asked as Lis pulled away from me.  
"Getting ready like you should be rather than getting distracted," he mocked.  
"Who said I'm not ready?" I laughed with confidence, "Maybe I don't need as much practice as you do Falcone."  
"Don't make me laugh boy," he said as he eyed Lis for a moment, "You're heading down a dangerous road and you can't even see it."  
He then grabbed something quick from the cabinet and left.  
"What was he talking about?" Lis asked me with concern showing in her voice.  
I looked to her trying to reassure her, "Don't worry about it sweetheart. He's jus' tryin' ta throw me off. He's been gunnin' for leader since I was given the position."  
"What happened to the old leader?" She asked me.  
"He retired, an' is livin' a life off the grid somewhere," I said with a shrug.  
"Is that what you plan to do?"  
I was a bit startled by her question. For I hadn't really thought that far about things before. So far I lived my life day by day, adventure after adventure. All I worried about was the safety of my gang, rather than my own future. Yet as I looked at her, and recalled the life I had in her world for a brief time, I couldn't help but feel a tinge of regret. What if things were just a bit different?  
Silver and Saffire soon interupted these thoughts as they came in. Silver looked as though she had just slugged him in the arm as he rubbed it. Meanwhile she strolled over to Lis, nudging her with her elbow. Yet was that a friendly smirk I noticed? Had I missed something?  
"Ready for tonight newbie?" Silver rustled her hair playfully before Saffire tugged him away from her.  
"I think so?" Lis replied looking to me briefly before nodding her head.  
"You're going to be our look out right?" He reminded her.  
"I am," she said more confidentally, 'but if there's anything else that is expected of me I will do it."  
"Do you know how to weild a sword?" Saffire questioned.  
"Yes, that's what I did back home to keep the dragons safe," she explained.  
I was a bit surprised by her statement. Not that she had done it, for I had seen that myself; but that she had told them about it. Even stranger is that they seemed to believe her.  
"We'll find you a temporary sword until we can help you forge one," Silver offered.  
"Thank you," Lis said with a smile.  
It seemed for now that her fears had faded away. At last I could see the real her trying to emerge. There was a curiosity in her eyes as she looked up at me and then to my friends.  
"And you can spar with me to get some practice in," Saffire suggested, her tone easing up as she and Lis talked.  
"Aw Saffire's made a friend," Silver teased.  
"I can make a fist again too," she warned quickly.  
Silver backed off behind me.  
"I'm not savin' ya," I told him, "I know better."  
"Thanks for that," Silver replied.  
After that I saw Lis here and there as we prepared for the job that night. Though I had to check on the others to make sure they were ready as well. I also cleaned and prepared my own suit as I realized I hadn't been able to properly since leaving all those months ago. Fortunately I had been able to aquire other clothes in Lis's realm, but it was comforting to have this looking it's best again.  
Soon it was time to head out. Silver, Saffire, Falcone, Ebony, Lis, and I would be heading out. Trent would be ready in case anyone was injured. While our last member, Diana, was ready to give support. Before leaving Silver gave her a quick hug and I watched as she blushed.  
"What did I miss in one week?" I asked curiously.  
"Quite a bit it seems," Saffire shook her head.  
"Falcone and Ebony you two start scouting ahead," I instructed, "We'll follow after you."  
Falcone rolled his eyes, but I gave him no mind. Ebony scowled at Silver, Saffire, and myself.  
"You're waiting for her aren't you?" She questioned.  
"Well she is our look out," Silver pointed out., "And give her a break. She's been here just two days after leaving her home. Even you can give her some patience."  
"Jus' go on ahead," I said again.  
After the two of them left I sighed, "I really would have liked ta give Lis more time ta adjust ta everythin'; but if I waited much longer-"  
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Silver grumbled impatiently as he listened to make sure they were gone.  
Then he smirked and called down the hall, "Alright kid, come on out!"  
"Silver what are ya-?"  
My words came to a pause as I noticed her turn around the corner. Dressed in a suit that seemed to be a blend of my own style and hers from her home world, she walked towards us carefully.  
"Well look at that, he's speechless," Saffire teased, "That's a first."  
"Told you he would like it," Silver winked at Lis.  
The young lady before me looked up at me as though hoping his claim were true. Her cheeks were nearly as red as her deep burgundy hair.  
"W-Why don't you two go ahead next?" I suggested to Silver and Saffire.  
As they headed out Silver rustled Lis's hair again and Saffire nudged my arm with her elbow, pushing me towards Lis a bit, "Say something to her L'Orange."  
"Silver said the colors suited me?" Lis said shyly once we were alone, "I guess they're similar to what I wore back home."  
I was struggling to speak to her as I felt something in my chest resonating with her.  
"Does it bother you that it's similar to yours?" She asked worriedly.  
At last I shook my head, finding my voice, "Of course not sweetheart. It's actually quite flatterin'."  
She looked up at me, her sapphire eyes catching me off guard yet again. I found myself wanting to reach out to her. Yet I held back remembering the job ahead of us and the others waiting for us. Though for a moment I noticed Lis look away nervously. Until finally I gave a slight bow, offering my hand out to her, "You do look quite lovely angel."  
She then reached her hand out to me as I grasped it and kissed it as I had the day we met. Again she blushed deeply and I smiled my most charming smile.  
"We need ta catch up with the others now," I said to her with a bit of regret.  
She nodded as she then followed me out.  
Saffire and Silver had waited for us. Silver had a wide grin over his beak as he watched us approach them.  
"Hopeless," Saffire shook her head.  
Lis looked at her a bit confused it seemed. I too wasn't quite sure what she was commenting at. It almost as though she were growing protective over our new recruit.  
"Let's get going before the two ahead do something reckless," Silver suggested.  
Soon we were at a museum near the center of the city. Security guards patrolled through, but otherwise it was quiet. That night there was no moon to give off any light. The night sky gave us a shield to hide in as we made our way to the roof. Once on the top I gave everyone their instructions.  
"Don't push it, if things get too hot ya get out an' head back ta the meet up point," I ordered firmly, "Look out for one another."  
"Duke we're thieves not boyscouts," Falcone said bitterly, "We know how to get a job done. At least most of us do."  
He eyed Lis for a moment.  
"Ease off," I warned, "Besides you're the one I'm worried about pullin' a stunt."  
I then looked down through the musuem window, noticing the glistening gems we were after that night.  
"Alright, Lis an' Saffire stay together for now an' keep a look out. The rest of us will go in an' get our treasure," I instructed, "It might be a good idea to stay in pairs. Silver stay with Ebony, an' Falcone you're with me."  
"Got it," Silver replied eagerly, "You can help me find something for Diana."  
"A partnership with our gracious leader?" Falcone rolled his eyes.  
"We don't have time for this Falcone, jus' follow orders for once will ya?" I said.  
I looked up from my crouched position to Lis, "You two keep a look out for us and each other. Give the signal if ya need to and then get out of here."  
Lis nodded, but for a moment looked unsure.  
"Lis, ya okay?" I asked her.  
"Having second thoughts?" Ebony questioned with contempt.  
"No," Lis responded firmly before looking back to me, "But I don't like the idea of running when all of you could get trapped in there."  
"It'll be okay, we know how to get out without getting caught," Silver assured her.  
I then gave Lis a confident smile, "Don't worry sweetheart."  
Ebony rolled her eyes, but I ignored her. Lis finally gave an understanding nod before smiling again. Then we got to work. Her and Saffire remained on watch while the four of us made our way inside.  
Once in we made short work of the display cases. Above us Saffire watched the exterior after having cut the cameras. Meanwhile Lis kept a general lookout for guards and communicated with us as needed. I was actually a bit surprised with how quickly she took to this.  
It had been quiet for a while when I noticed Falcone approaching a well secured gem near the back of the room. It was one that had been just brought in. On a velvet black manuquine bust a sapphire cut in the shape of a heart rested, fastened to a delicate gold chain. I had heard Ebony and Diana mention it not too long before I had left.  
"Not tonight," I tried to warn him, "That one is gonna take a smaller group. We have too many with us ta risk if that thing goes off tonight."  
"So you want to come back to finish what could be done with one job?" He taunted, "You really have changed haven't you? I wonder why?"  
"I have a group ta watch out for now. If it were only me it wouldn't be a problem," I argued trying to keep him from it.  
"But we all know what to do when a silly alarm goes off. We have the two of them playing lookout. So why hold back?" He questioned.  
"Falcone, it's too much of a risk right now," I tried to say again.  
"Duke I know exactly why you're holding back," he laughed, "why you're being extra careful all of the sudden. Everyone can see it and if you ask me it's pathetic."  
"Falcone, let's go before the guard comes back this way," I tried again.  
"You're growing soft because of that alien girl," he said coldly, "You suddenly want to look noble in front of her to try and prove you're more than a thief."  
"I'm lookin' out for our group, not just her," I reminded him, "That's what bein' a leader means Falcone. I don't just have myself ta worry about. That's why it never would have been given to you."  
Falcone glared at me, his smirk twisting into a scowl, "You're nothing but a love struck coward, dear boy! You're forgetting exactly what you are because of her and it makes me sick!"  
"Give it up Falcone," I warned, feeling my temper rising.  
"Have I struck a nerve? Have I reminded you what you really are no matter how you want to look to her? Face it Duke, you can't turn back at this point, and soon she'll see that and leave. For once you'll know what it's like to have your heart broken instead," he hissed.  
Then he shrugged as though we hadn't had that little exchange, "Or perhaps you'll just grow careless and wind up behind bars, or," he smirked, "Get her trapped instead."  
"I've never been caught before Falcone," I reminded him, barely keeping my temper in check.  
"Let's see if you can keep that record going then?" He suggested as he drew his saber.  
Before I could stop him in any way he slashed at the case beside him. I watched as he didn't even attempt to break it anyway before the alarm ripped through the silence around us. Suddenly we heard footsteps charging down the hall towards us.  
I quickly reached my communicator, "Everyone get ta the meet up point now!"  
"Got it! Can't wait to hear how Falcone screwed up this time!" Silver laughed, hiding his annoyance.  
I then looked around to try and find the nearest exit. There were two doors, both sounding as though someone were about to march in through. I looked up to the ceiling and shot out my grappling hook. Meanwhile Falcone ran towards one of the doors to find his own way out. Normally I would have tried to stop him, but I knew that things were now shifting from a friendly rivalry to something much more dangerous at this point.  
Before I could get far several guards and officers flooded the room below in search of an intruder. They scouted the room with their flashlights and firearms while I clung to the rafters above their heads. For a tense few moments I held my breath and hoped the others had gotten out.  
"Keep looking men, we'll smoke 'em out if we have to!"  
Not long after they began filling the room with tear gas, attempting to get me to come out. Instead I used the smoke as cover to get around and through the vents. Yet it wasn't long before every room was filled with the stuff, making it difficult to breath.

Lis:  
On the rooftop I could hear the alarm sounding suddenly below us. I turned to Saffire worriedly as I wondered what could have gone wrong. We had kept a good look out and given enough time for warnings when we noticed guards heading to the others. When Duke contacted us Saffire was already grabbing me by the arm to pull me along. At first I paused as I was worried if Duke and the others were alright.  
"They know what to do! Come on!" Saffire assured me as we started to run.  
It didn't take long to meet up with everyone. Yet as I looked around I felt fear grip my chest when I noticed him missing.  
"Falcone wasn't Duke with you?" Silver questioned.  
"He knows the risk when pulling off a heist," Falcone shrugged, "And he shouldn't have been so bold as to push things too far. Especially with a new recruit."  
"Duke pushed it?" Saffire scoffed in disbelief.  
I looked to her and Silver worriedly. They both seemed to not believe Falcone.  
"We need to go back for him!" I said.  
"Won't do much good," Falcone laughed, "They've probably caught him by now."  
"Why did you leave him behind?" Silver demanded, "You know we don't leave anyone like that!"  
I then realized why. I remembered what Duke had said about Falcone wanting to be the leader.  
"You're hoping he gets caught," I said, feeling my temper rising, "If he gets caught you think you'll be able to take over in his place!"  
"You don't know what you're talking about girl," he said in a warning tone.  
"Yes I do! I don't know exactly what you did, but you're the reason we had to get out so suddenly, and you're why he isn't here right now!"  
"I think we've all had enough of humoring this," Falcone stated as he stepped towards me.  
"Back off Falcone," Silver said stepping between us.  
"We don't have time to fight right now, we need to get out of here!" Saffire shouted.  
"We have to go back for Duke!" I protested.  
"Lis he's told us before not to risk waiting like this. Besides he's been in worse scrapes and has always come back," Silver tried to assure me.  
I wasn't convinced. Ignoring their warnings I found myself pushing past Falcone as he snickered and heading back towards the museum.  
Once there police sirens flashed through the area as officers continued their search through the building. I had never seen such things before and it made me nervous to see how many people...er ducks...there were in one area. I found myself climbing up to the rooftops of a nearby building to try and find a way to get inside and find him before they did.  
"Where are you?" I asked worriedly without realizing that energy was starting to spark around me.  
"Keep looking men, don't let them escape this time!" One of them yelled.  
"Duke!" I whispered with panic gripping my chest.  
As though reacting to the situation the electricity igniting in me grew wild. Thinking of Duke being caught, imagining him imprisoned made the energy grow hot until finally it burst, lashing out without my control. Lights and machines everywhere within miles went dark. Cameras, flashlights, searchlights, everything fell silent and faded out.  
"What's going on?" One duck demanded, "Get those lights back on or they'll get away!"  
"We can't, everything is fried!" Another called out.  
I took advantage of the situation to look for a way back to the museum roof.  
It took a moment to notice a ledge that I could jump from to get back onto the museum roof. I quickly made my way to it, took a deep breath, and leaped across. I nearly missed my landing and found myself grasping the ledge before pulling myself up. Below me on the ground I could hear a few officers asking what sound they had just heard.  
It didn't take much longer to reach the window and pull open the entrance they had made in it.  
"Duke!" I called in a hushed voice, "Duke where are you?!"  
For a few moments everything felt like it was standing still. Fear gripped my heart still as I watched for him in the rooms below.  
Then suddenly I heard a harsh coughing from the vents below a bit. I watched as one of the vents popped open as Duke looked up at the window.  
"Duke!" I called to him.  
He looked up, seeming startled at first, before firing a grappling hook at the ledge. Then he began to climb his way up to the window. As he climbed he continued to cough, trying to get the smoke out of his lungs as he did. Finally he reached the window and I held out a hand to help him. In return he gripped my hand as I helped him up onto the roof. For a bit he stayed prone on his hands and knees with the blanket of the night air covering us as he still coughed. I found myself reaching a hand out to him, resting a hand on his back to try and help him.  
After a few brief moments Duke gave me a quick hug and then started to get up.  
"Lis!" He coughed as he looked at me through watery eyes, "What are ya doin' here! Why didn't ya go ahead with the others?!"  
"I did at first," I told him defensively, "But when you didn't show up I came back to find you."

Duke:  
I looked at Lis, a bit taken off guard by her words. It was also now that I noticed a slight hint of fatigue in her worried eyes. I remembered hearing the power shut down, causing me to check to see if the coast was clear for me to escape. Now I saw that a chunk of the city's power was out. Only then did I realize what had happened as I turned to her again, noticing her slightly labored breathing.  
"Lis..." I said as I couldn't help but hug her, "Thank you."  
I then pulled away, taking her by the hand and lead her away. Soon we were far away from the museum and all of the commotion surrounding it. As we walked I felt Lis stepping carefully behind me, as though her strength were failing her.  
"It was your magic wasn't it?" I asked her as I turned to her in the alley we were in.  
She nodded quietly.  
"Lis," I started.  
"Don't," she said suddenly, pulling her hand away, "Don't say what I should have done. Don't say I should have left you there. Don't tell me that you would have simply been okay! I was so worried about you! I wasn't going to runaway and leave you there!"  
So I didn't say those things. I wasn't even sure what to say to her.  
There she stood before me, every movement she made threw me off guard. Her eyes watched me closely. Those sapphire eyes of hers shimmering in the low lamp light as the power started to come back through the city. I thought about how much she had risked to come back looking for me. Yet she simply didn't care about any of that. I knew this, however it still surprised me. After years of not being drawn in, breaking hearts, and staying focused on just about anything else, I found myself unable to break away from her.  
"You really are beautiful," I heard myself say to her softly.  
Lis froze, blushing deeply as she looked up at me startled. Then I approached her as I slipped a hand behind her, pulling her close to me.  
"Duke...?" Her voice stung my heart as I slowly leaned closer to her, both our eyes closing.  
"There you two are!" Silver exclaimed suddenly, pulling us both away from the moment we had nearly been locke in as he and Saffire both ran towards us.  
"Silver! Saffire!" I called to them.  
"We were worried sick about you two!" Silver told us.  
By now Lis had pulled away from me, looking away quickly with a hand over her mouth.  
Silver looked at us curiously. More than likely noticing Lis's blushing face that she tried hard to hide.  
"Did we interupt something?" He teased.  
I looked to Lis, wanting to go back to just a minute ago with her. Yet I knew we had to get back to the others. I also noticed the fatigue in her eyes again and held out a hand to her, "Let's go home Lis."  
She nodded as she reached out in return.  
Soon we were back at the hideout where we all shared what we had stolen that night. Silver had managed to swipe some jewelry for Diana it seemed. Ebony had plenty to wear for herself. While I showed the gems I had managed to swipe before Falcone pulled his stunt. I then realized he wasn't around.  
"He's here," Silver assured, "He retired for the night. He seemed to be in a really good mood though."  
"I have a good guess as to why," I commented.  
I then told them what had really happened, leaving out the comments regarding Lis. Silver rolled his eyes as though he expected something like this might happen sooner or later. Falcone hadn't made it a secret what he wanted, and he would do anything to get it. It worried me having him in the group still, but it was more trouble not knowing where he was.  
"Everyone keep your guard up around him," I instructed them, "But there will be repricutions for what happened tonight. He put everyone at risk."  
"That necklace he was going after though, it is quite a prize," Diana commented.  
"Yeah but he's not good with delicate alarms like that," I noted.  
Lis had been quiet since coming back with us. I wondered what was on her mind as she listened to all of this. Though I thought back to just a little bit ago and had a good guess. Yet current issues had brought me back into my normal focus. Or so I thought.  
"Here sis," Silver then said as he handed her a silver bracelet glistening with blue shaded gems, "I thought of you too."  
Saffire gave him a worried smile before slipping it onto her wrist.  
"Looks like tonight was successful inspite of everything," Ebony said with a contented smile.  
"Yeah but thanks to his stunt we'll have to lay low for a bit again. If he hadn't done that we could have done another job much sooner," I told them, leaning back against the wall with my arms crossed over my chest.  
"Aw Duke, we can handle a little heat," Ebony tried to say.  
I shook my head, "I won't risk it."  
"Besides I think we got plenty tonight, and a nice rush to keep us on our toes at least," Silver tried to find the positive, "We're all free from behind bars, and our leader was returned to us safely."  
He gave a quick smile to Lis who tried to return the gesture.  
"He would have been fine without her. Duke's been doing this for years now," Ebony commented sourly.  
I could tell Lis wanted to say something, but bit her lip to stay calm.  
"Say what's on your mind," Saffire encouraged, patting her shoulder.  
"It doesn't matter how long someone's been doing something, things can still go wrong," she said, "I thought I had things under control back home. I had kept hunters at bay for years, but here I am because I failed."  
"Ya didn't fail," I told her again.  
"My point is you can still need help. You were in trouble back there tonight," she said, shaking fear from her voice.  
"I was," I admitted, "They're trying much harder to catch us now. That's why we all need to be extra careful right now."  
"I still think you would have gotten out wthout her," Ebony scoffed.  
"Give it up Ebony, you've lost," Saffire said.  
"Regardless it's my call to make," I reminded her, "We're going to wait a little bit before taking on another job. I won't risk everyone's freedom for some rocks. We lay low, got it?"  
"Understood," Silver nodded.  
"You gonna tell Falcone that?" Ebony questioned.  
"I plan to," I confirmed, though I wasn't looking forward to the conversation.  
"It's odd how the power went out so suddenly," Silver then commented.  
I looked over to Lis as I noticed her pulling her legs up beneath her on the sofa. She then leaned against the arm of it and started to drift off to sleep.  
"Did anyone hear what happened?" Diana asked, "Power flickered on and off here too."  
I gave a nod to Silver and Saffire, gesturing to Lis. Silver's eyes widened with surprise.  
"Her?" He asked.  
I nodded quietly.  
"What are you talking about?" Ebony demanded, "What does it have to do with her?"  
"You guys can explain it, I'm gonna head back to my room," I told them tiredly as I walked over and lifted Lis up, who was sound asleep by now.  
Ebony looked away and I noticed frustration in her green eyes, "I just don't get it."  
"Is it really that hard to figure out?" Silver asked, but then shrugged, "Well I guess you're not the only one having trouble seeing it."  
I then started to carry Lis to my room, hearing them begin to explain from down the hall. Leaving bits and pieces out they told Ebony where Lis was from and how she grew up.  
Along the way though things got quiet. I had nearly gotten to the bedroom when Falcone stepped into the hallway as though waiting.  
"So you escaped after all dear boy," he snickered.  
"No thanks to you," I replied, "You know we have to lie low again now."  
"Do we? You can't handle a little heat?" He asked.  
He noticed Lis in my arms.  
"Well don't you like the knight in thieve's clothing?" He mocked.  
"Back off," I warned him, "Believe what ya want, but it won't change my decision. Until things calm down we're to stay under the radar."  
"So you can protect her? Honestly this is getting more sickening the longer it goes on," he said.  
"So I can look out for everyone here, including you. Though with the stunt you pulled tonight you're lucky to still be here Falcone," I replied.  
"That's the problem with you Duke. The public thinks you're the most natorious jewel thief on this planet. Yet if only they knew what a coward you really are," he said with a bite in his tone, "You climbed the ranks to sit comfortably at the top without having to take anymore risks. Then you hold others back so they never become better than you. Though I won't let your restrictions hold me back."  
"I was chosen to be leader not only because of my skills, but because I have a sense of code that I keep. Looking out for the group is just as important as the jobs we pull off, if not more so," I told him again, "And that's why even if you get rid of me you won't be the next leader."  
"Really now?" He asked with contempt.  
He then looked at Lis in my arms, as though planning something.  
"Leave her out of this," I warned him before walking passed him.  
Once in our room I set Lis down and secured the locks at my door. Living with other thieves, even ones that were friends, taught you quick that things could go missing Yet this was the least of my concerns after the exchange with Falcone. As I locked the last bolt I looked over to Lis as she slept soundly. Then I found myself pulling a blanket up over her before tossing myself onto the sofa nearby.  
After the night before though it felt strangely cold without her beside me. My thoughts wandered to not that long ago when her and I were in the alley alone. I thought about how she looked in the lamplight, her words honest and clear as she had spoken to me. For a moment I wondered if I had acted too quickly. We still had only known one another for such a short while. And yet here I was, fighting the urge to hold her again.


	5. Chapter 5

Lis:  
The next morning I awoke to find myself alone in Duke's bed. My energy seemed to have returned to me. I looked over to find Duke still asleep on the sofa. I wondered how late he had been up after our job the night before. Had anything else happened while I was asleep?  
I decided to let him sleep as I slipped out into the hall back in my casual clothes. Leaving my bodysuit folded carefully on the bed. Then I headed to the galley. I had started to look for some fruit when a hand grabbed my shoulder, spinning me around where I stood. I then found myself being glared at by Ebony's harsh green eyes.  
"Am I really supposed to believe you have magic in you?" She demanded.  
"Believe what you want," I said trying to shrug her off of me.  
She scoffed in disbelief, "Maybe that's why he's so focused on you. Why else would he string you along? With magic we can get in and out of anything."  
"I thought you didn't believe I had magic?" I questioned.  
"Perhaps you enchanted him and he's focused on you because you're making him?"  
"I wouldn't do anything like that even if I could!" I snapped, "It's not my fault Duke doesn't think of you the way you want him to!"  
"And you think he really thinks of you that way? An alien freak like you would never hold his attention for long!"  
"Well, he was willing to stay beside me for several months in my world," I pointed out.  
"Because he had no choice," she spat, "If he could have come back he would have left you there."  
"No he wouldn't have," I said firmly, "If you think Duke is like that than you really don't know him well do you? Maybe that's why he never returned your affections? You see him as a trophy purely because he's the leader, if it were anyone else you would be after them instead. Duke sees that."  
Duke wasn't there to stop the sting of her hand from contacting my face this time. Yet even still I looked at her, knowing I had struck deeper than her.  
"You don't know him! Silver told me you knew Duke for a few days before you were pathetically wounded, trapping him there while you napped. Then you woke up and followed him here because you couldn't handle things alone!"  
"You don't know anything about it, you're twisting it however you wish to," I said.  
I knew I was wasting my breath, but I couldn't stand to hear her talking about Duke that way.  
"Duke didn't have to come into my world, but he did. I tried to push him away, but he stayed on his own. He could have tried to leave while I was recovering, but he remained there to help those I was trying to protect. When I awoke he brought me here whether I wanted to leave or not, but to save my life he had to. He..."  
I then realized it. My hand covered my mouth as I recalled what nearly took place the night prior. When we were alone. Years in isolation had made me blind to such interactions. Yet now as I stood there defending him, recalling all that he had done, I knew. Tears unwillingly brimmed my eyes that I forced back.  
"You think he loves you?" She mocked bitterly, "You really are naive."  
I shook away from my frozen state and faced her, "Whether he does or not, he still would have done all those things. That's who he is, thief or not."  
She then stood, looking at me shocked as I slipped away from her.  
I was overwhelmed by these thoughts as I walked down the hall. My heart was pounding hard against my chest, echoing loudly in my ears it seemed. I tried to regain my composure as I looked back over our interactions. The things he said to me always coming from an honest tone. How he wouldn't budge when it came to leaving me behind back home when it would have been easier to. I shook my head as lingering doubt crept into the back of my mind.  
Before I reached Duke's room I was stopped in my tracks when Silver reached a hand out, causing me to nearly jump out of my skin.  
"You okay there?" He asked, noticing how shaken I was.  
"Yeah, I just was looking for..."  
"For Duke?" He smirked playfully.  
I nodded quietly.  
Saffire soon found the both of us and took notice of how nervous I suddenly was. In front of Ebony I hadn't felt scared. Yet now as things ran through my head I didn't know how to react.  
"Is something the matter?" Silver then asked concerned.  
"I'm not really sure," I admitted.  
They pulled me into Saffire's room again.  
"What's going on? You're shaking," Saffire pushed.  
I explained the exchange I had had with Ebony. Then I paused, gripping my heart as it seemed to ache.  
"I don't understand this," I told them as tears swelled in my eyes now.  
"I think you understand it better than you think," Silver stated gently with a kind smile.  
"You may have been alone all that time, but you still felt things. If you didn't you wouldn't have let him near you," Saffire told me.  
"No, he was just being kind. Why would he...I mean...I'm not like anyone here!" I exclaimed.  
"I can't speak for him, but maybe that's exactly why? I think you need to see for yourself though," Silver pushed carefully.  
"You've known him all these years!" I said.  
"I have," Silver agreed, "But that doesn't matter right now. How long isn't the same as how well. Duke has kept most of us at a distance, especially after he became leader. He laughs with us, supports us, and looks out for us. That's always been it."  
"Not with you though," Saffire said encouragingly, "And that's why Ebony, and myself, have been thrown off by you coming here. After all this time, Duke let someone close to him. He has risked never returning here for someone else's sake. Yes it is Duke's true nature to look out for others, but this is so much more than that."  
"How do you know that?" I asked.  
"Because he's holding back," she said, "With Ebony and I he was quick to tell us that we weren't what he had in mind. But not with you it seems."  
There was a tinge of regret in her eyes when she spoke.  
"I'm sorry," I said to her.  
She shook her head and smiled, "Why are you sorry? You've done what we couldn't without trying."  
"Unless," Silver said with some concern while looking at me, "Perhaps you're afraid because you don't know how you feel about him yet?"  
I looked up startled by Silver's claim.  
"Really Silver?" Saffire exclaimed.  
"Just hold on," Silver pushed as he looked over at me, "Lis, all jokes and teasing aside, think back to last night. Think back to what you both went through those months ago, whatever it was, and really search yourself. Last night, when Duke was missing, how did you feel? When you met how did you react when he pushed to stay?"  
Confusion clouded my mind as I tried to recall these moments.  
"Until you know for certain how you feel, you can't have an answer, and neither can Duke," Silver confirmed in a gentle, but firm, tone.  
Saffire nodded reluctantly, "Silver has a point. Take some time to understand this before risking anything between you two."  
Still shaking I nodded my head.

The next few days went by rather quietly. Duke reminded everyone to stay under the radar for now. If they went out they were warned to be cautious. Ebony had left me alone after our encounter in the galley. Though Falcone seemed to be refusing to ease off as he tried to push Duke into doing more jobs sooner than later. Also I noticed Duke had seemed a bit distant since that night. I worried about what Saffire had told me. Perhaps he was trying to tell me he really wasn't feeling as I thought.  
Was a rift forming between us now? Even our nights had changed as I was given my own room. It shouldn't have bothered me. Yet somehow it felt so strange after he had insisted on staying close by for so long.  
"I don't want ya comin' under fire from the others because you're sharin' a room with me," he told me after finishing work on one of the locks on the door.  
"Duke, is everything okay?" I asked him.  
He turned and looked at me, seemingly thrown off by my question.  
"What makes ya ask that all of the sudden?" He enquired in return.  
He had only referred to me by my name over the last few days. This had seemed to add amusement for Ebony when she had been around, as though proving her words to be true. Why did it bother me?  
"You've been acting strange," I said finally, "I thought something might be bothering you."  
"I'm alright Lis, jus' have a lot on my mind is all," he told me, shrugging as he finished fixing the door.  
"Duke, since we met you haven't been like this before. You're keeping me at a distance all of the sudden," I pushed, "What changed?"  
"Nothin' has changed," he tried to assure me, "I jus' have ta focus on the group until things cool down. Falcone has been as persistant as ever an' I have ta keep an eye on him."  
"I know you're looking out for everyone Duke, that isn't what I'm trying to figure out," I said.  
"Lis-"  
"Is that how Saffire and Ebony got hurt?" I heard myself asking before I could stop myself.  
"What are ya talkin' about?"  
I looked away, growing angry with myself before speaking further, "Is this how it works? You act charming just to push others away? If that's it then I should have stayed where I was."  
"Lis, that's not it!" He tried to tell me.  
"Then what is it Duke?" I snapped looking up at him.

Duke:  
I looked at Lis quite startled. Over the last few days I had been trying to make sure everyone was at least content while we stayed low. Falcone had been pushing things each night, and our rivalry was at it's fiercest it had ever been. In all of that I hadn't realized how distant I had become. Even getting her room together had been a half hearted process. Then I thought back to Falcone's sneer from the nights before when he saw me carrying her. Was that it?  
"Lis..." I realized my heart softening as I looked at her, "Lis it's not like that. I'm sorry."  
She risked a glance at me, but that was all.  
I cautiously approached her, waiting for her to walk away. Yet to my surprise she remained standing there. I gently placed a hand on her shoulder, "Lis, I'm sorry. I didn't realize I was pushin' ya away, I swear. I wasn't tryin' ta hurt you."  
"That's what Saffire told me you said before," she said hesitantly.  
"Lis, please," I said, feeling a little injured, "Listen ta me."  
She looked away from me still.  
"Sweetheart," I tried softly, trying to connect to her, "I would never try ta push ya away."  
For a moment she looked confused, lost in her thoughts as she listened to me.  
"So she's finally getting her own room is she? I'm surprised," Falcone taunted as he approached the door, "Or maybe the Duke I know is trying to come back and shake off distraction?"  
I glared at him, barely keeping my temper in check at this point. Yet before I could answer Lis pulled away from me and walked passed Falcone.  
"Don't let me distract you then," she said, her voice shaking slightly.  
"Lis!" I called to her, but she wasn't responding to me at this point.  
"Careful, she's starting to see the real you," Falcone taunted.  
I knew he was setting the bait, but I couldn't keep from taking it right now.  
"What do you want?" I snapped.  
"You know what I want Duke," he laughed, "question is are you up for the challenge to settle this once and for all?"  
"Really?" I asked, "You're offerin' a way ta shut ya up finally?"  
"The necklace from the other night," he mentioned casually, "Whoever steals it first tonight is the winner of our little rivalry. If you win I will see you as our true leader and the greatest thief of all time. If I win, our roles will be reversed. I will become leader and the best."  
"You won't win this," I assured him.  
"Then what do you have to lose at this point Duke?" He enquired.  
I knew better than to trust his word at this point, but I also wanted to try and shut him up. Against my better judgement I agreed to his challenge. Then he left to prepare. While I went looking for her instead.  
No matter where I went she was no where to be found. Asking Silver I found that she had stepped out. I wanted to go and look for her, yet I held back to give her some space. I didn't want to push her further away. I then mentioned the challenge Falcone had given.  
"You agreed to something like that?!" Silver exclaimed.  
"I needed ta shut him up, but I don't plan on losin'," I assured him.  
"Duke, you know he's planning something. Even if you win he's going to pull some stunt," he protested.  
"I know that," I said, "I'll be careful, but I need to talk ta Saffire."  
Silver brought me to his sister's room. The whole way he tried to stop me from going along with Falcone's game.  
"Silver's right, this is crazy Duke! It's still too soon to go back out like that, and you know he has it in for you at this point!"  
"Look, don't worry about me," I insisted.  
"So why did you need to talk to me?" Saffire asked hesitantly.  
"In case something does happen," I said, "You are the next in charge. If Falcone comes back you form a new band without him. He's not lookin' ta take care of a group."  
"Duke, are you sure?" Saffire asked surprised.  
I nodded, "I know you would be a good leader in my place if something happens."  
"Wait, what about Lis? Does she know about any of this?" Saffire asked, "If something happens to you..."  
"I can't find her," I admitted quietly.  
"What?"  
"She stepped out ta get some space," I shrugged trying not to worry too much.  
"What did you do?" Saffire demanded suddenly.  
"Saffire, don't," Silver tried to interject.  
"Did you hurt her?"  
"No! Look I need ta focus on the job tonight. Jus' keep a look out for one another, an' if she comes back keep her safe if I can't," I told them, trying to shake away my concerns.  
Saffire and Silver both looked like they wanted to say more, but I slipped out of the room before they could. Yet as I went to get ready I couldn't help but feel like something was missing.

Lis:  
I had wandered out into the city again. The sunlight felt refreshing and warm on my skin despite the cold air surrounding me. The city streets were calm as it was still fairly early that weekend morning. I was dressed in my casual clothes as I only had them and the suit made for me to wear.  
"What's wrong with me?" I asked the statue I was standing in front of.  
"Lis?" A friendly voice asked.  
I turned around to find the two brothers I had met before approaching me. The younger of the two ran over and gave me a friendly hug.  
"Nosedive?" I asked surprised.  
He then looked at me a little bit closer, noticing something it seemed. I then realized what as I wiped my eyes with my hand.  
"Did you find your friend? Where have you been for the last week? We were worried about you," Nosedive told me as I followed them to the ice rink they were heading to.  
"Why were you worried?" I questioned, "We've only met once?"  
"So?" He replied with a shrug, "Friends can be worried about each other regardless of how long they've known each other girly-girl, and you seemed to be in a bit of trouble when we met."  
This caught me off guard. How was it that most those in this world were more welcoming than just about anyone back home? They knew so very little about me and yet they were concerned for my well being after meeting me only once. Even Duke when he saw the company I kept didn't back away.  
"I found my friend that night," I told them carefully, "I've stayed with them since then."  
"Well I'm glad you weren't alone on the streets somewhere," Wildwing told me in a brotherly tone.  
"But why were you crying then?" Nosedive enquired scratching his head, "If you've been with your friend all this time."  
I found myself telling them bits and pieces about the last few days, leaving out exactly who I was with and where I had been. I mentioned how he had seemed distant all of the sudden and how I had been worried. How I was still worried too.  
"I don't understand what's happening. Back where I'm from I didn't stay around anyone like this," I told them as I hugged my knees to my chest.  
We had been sitting on a park bench, Wildwing and I, while Nosedive leaned against the back of it. I wasn't even sure why I was opening up to them like this. I barely knew them. Yet they seemed genuine in their concern, and didn't seem to mind I was different from them.  
"Lis," Wildwing started carefully, "It sounds to me like you're falling in love."  
I felt my face grow warm and I tried to bury it in my arms.  
"I barely know what that even is," I protested, "I was isolated too long to understand."  
"I don't think that's really the case here either little sister," Nosedive shook his head.  
"Sister?" I looked up bewildered.  
Nosedive shrugged, "Well maybe in spirit. Anyway I think my bro might be on to something."  
I still was unsure, yet something in my chest began to burn.  
"Lis, how do you feel when you think of this guy you've been with? Do you miss him?" Wildwing tried to ask, resting a gentle hand on my shoulder.  
I thought about the other night, when Duke hadn't come to meet us. Before I had gone back to find him still trapped at the museum. I remembered the panic I felt in my chest in those moments. For those tense few minutes I had been afraid that I may never see him again. Then, I reacted. As I had when I thought I might have hurt him those months ago.  
Before I knew it I was breaking down. The walls I had built were crumbling down. No matter how hard I tried to push him away, he pushed back. Until I couldn't pull away.  
"I think you have your answer," Wildwing said with a smile as I got up.  
"Thank you again," I told them both before I started running back to the hideout.  
I hadn't realized how long I had been out that day. It had been just about noon when I had first stepped out. Now it was nearly dusk.  
It hadn't taken long to get back as I slipped inside and hurried down the halls to try and find him.  
"Lis!" Silver called to me from the galley.  
"Silver!" I tried to catch my breath, "Where's Duke?"  
"He just went out on a job," he told me, "Where were you?"  
"I just needed to figure things out," I answered, "Wait...what job?"  
"Falcone challenged him this morning and Duke's going to try and settle things. He's headed back to the museum right now," Silver explained.  
"Why are you so worried?" I enquired nervously, "If he has the skills to meet this challenge-"  
"It's not the heist I'm worried about, it's Falcone. He's planning something," Silver said frustrated, "Duke appointed Saffire to take on his place as leader if something happens tonight."  
Fear crept into my heart as I heard this.  
"Duke..."  
"Lis!" Saffire caught my attention as she joined us.  
"Saffire, I don't get what's going on. Why is Duke doing this?" I asked, "He doesn't have to prove anything!"  
"Lis you need to go after him," Saffire said suddenly, looking me straight in the eye, "Maybe you can reach him before anything happens!"  
"Saffire-"  
"Lis I know how much you care about him! And I know how he looks at you! Stop letting the isolation you endured get in the way!" She begged as she gripped my shoulders.  
"Here," Silver said as he handed me the suit they had made me, "This will help you blend in with the night just in case."  
I nodded to them both thankfully before changing and then hurrying back out. My heartbeat raced in my chest as I sprinted towards the museum.

Duke:  
The night wrapped around me like a cloak as I stood on a nearby roof. The half moon hung overhead giving off some light. In my hand I carried the replica I had made myself to replace the real item. After another minute or so of observing my surroundings I headed in.  
As I had expected Falcone wasn't there yet. There were no crude carvings in doorways, broken glass, or alarms being triggered. It wasn't long before I cut the cameras without a hitch and then made my way to the display case. In moments I examined the alarms set around it and got to work carefully. Once the case was removed I gently slipped the replica onto the bust and lifted the real one off. Then I set the case back on slowly and stepped back from the display with a confident smirk on my face.  
With the necklace securely placed in the pouch of my belt I made my way back to the roof without a hitch. Not long after I was a few rooves away before Falcone even made his presence known. Soon enough alarms broke the sleepy silence of the city night.  
I waited a good distance away for my rival to either emerge or be caught.  
To my surprise he finally found me, holding up the fake necklace in his hand.  
"Here it is old friend," he laughed, "And I got out through all of that excitement before you even got there, what a shame!"  
"Guess again Falcone," I said patting the pouch on my belt, "Ya see I can tell the difference between glass and the real thing. Even if my work is quite spot on if I do say so myself."  
"What?!" He exclaimed.  
I then produced the real necklace, holding it up so it would catch the moonlight falling over it. It really was something special. I could see why the ladies back at the hideout were eyeing it. Except.  
With a confident smile I placed the stolen prize back in the pouch.  
"So are we done now?" I questioned as I turned to leave, keeping a hand behind my back near my saber, "Now that I've proven what I didn't really need to."  
"No, we're not done dear boy," he said with a growl in his voice, "But don't worry, you will be soon!"  
Just as he drew his saber I drew mine. Our blades meeting in a momentary draw as he tried to get me to back down.  
"Have ya lost your mind?" I exclaimed as I blocked his blade one blow after another.  
"Not at all, my mind is as clear as ever Duke!" He assured before he noticed he was being forced back, "At least mine isn't being clouded with foolish ideas of romance!"  
"I warned ya ta leave her out of this Falcone!" I reminded him, "She has nothin' ta do with my way of leading this group!"  
"Just wait Duke, because of that girl you're going to get careless. Your guard will drop sooner or later. You'll find yourself wishing for a different life that you can never have together! Then you'll slip and end up behind bars, if you survive that is!" He mocked.  
"Ya do realize I'm winnin' this match?" I pointed out as I forced him back even still.  
"By the way," Falcone ignored my statement, a smirk twisting his beak, "Where is that treasure of yours anyway? I haven't seen her since this morning?"  
I ignored his taunts and blocked his saber again.  
"Did she finally leave I wonder?" He asked as he quickly reached for his blaster, catching me a bit off guard as he pulled the trigger with it aimed at me.  
A quick seering blast seered my side as I tried to step out of the way. I growled as I gripped my side with my free hand to feel blood staining my black glove. Then he began to force me back a bit as I tried to shake the burning sensation the wound caused. In the heat of it he knocked me back as he caught my beak with his saber, chipping a scar into it and knocking me back.  
Then as I looked up to try and regain my bearings I watched in a moment that felt quick and slow all at once as his blade swung at me. An unwilling scream of pain ripped from my throat as the blade ran across my right eye. All I could think to do was reach my hand up to try and stop the bleeding, but to little affect.  
"With you out of the way Duke I will finally become leader," he laughed, "But don't worry, if she comes back to the Brotherhood I'll be sure to send her straight to you!"  
"Duke!" Her scream suddenly broke through.  
I turned to try and see her frozen in horror with her hand covering her lower face. Her eyes wide with shock as she looked at me.  
"Lis..." I groaned through gritted teeth as I tried to get to my feet, "Lis run!"  
"Oh good, two for the price of one!" Falcone snickered as he aimed his blaster at her.  
Before he could pull the trigger I scrambled to my feet, adrenaline taking over, as I tried to tackle him. Yet half blind I misjudged his position as he turned towards me and swung his saber, this time slashing across my chest.  
"Really Duke? Risking your neck for her now? You could have used her as cover to get away and save your own feathers!" Falcone taunted, "But it seems your're eager to throw your life away for her!"  
"I don't expect ya ta understand it Falcone!" I snapped, glairing at him with my remaining eye, "But I won't let ya harm her!"  
The words I wanted to say burned in my chest, but I held back only so I could say them to her first. Even if it were only once.  
He snickered as he turned towards me entirely, his blaster trained on me as he did.  
"Then it seems she'll just have to watch you die first!" He said, "What a shame Duke, you gave everything up for this girl. You grew careless and soft. And now you'll die!"  
Yet just as he started to pull back the trigger a shock of energy lashed out through the air, striking his hand. He cried out in pain as he clutched his hand, dropping the blaster in the process.  
"No he won't!" She snapped suddenly as we both looked to Lis just as she tackled him.  
"You little whelp!" Falcone snarled as he knocked her to the ground.  
"Lis!" I yelled out as she looked up just as his blade grazed her just below her own right eye.  
"Look at that," he mocked, "You nearly match."  
"You should have stayed in your own world girl," he then told her as he raised his saber over her.  
"Lis get back!" I shouted as I struggled to shield her somehow, throwing my saber in it's dagger like form, knocking Falcone's out of his hands.  
Then I quickly shot out two bolo pucks, one at his wrists and one at his ankles. This caused Falcone to lose his balance as he fell back off of the roof. Before he fell too far I sent a grappling hook rushing out, catching him by his entangled legs. Afterwards I tied the other end to a fire escape door so the authorities would find him hanging upside down there, gift wrapped for them.  
Once it was over I then ignored his pleas for help and mercy, leaving him there to be found.  
Instead I turned to Lis, covering half of my face with one hand as I held out my other hand to her. As things grew calm I felt my injuries taking their toll as I crumbled to my knees.  
"Duke!" I heard her cry out as she scrambled to get to my side, "Duke stay with me!"  
Her hands shook as they rested against my face, forcing me to look at her with my remaining eye. I wanted to pull away from her, I didn't want her to see me this way. Not because I didn't want her to be at my side, but because I knew it was causing her to cry. Her whole body trembled as she wrapped her arms around my neck, holding me close now as we were still kneeling there on the roof.  
"Lis...Lis please don't cry," I begged her, "I can't stand ta hear ya cry sweetheart."  
In spite of the pain washing over me I tried my best to give her my usual charming smile. Yet it seemed even that twisted as my teeth clenched from the stings and burns and blood covering me at this point.  
Below we could hear sirens growing closer. Lis quickly got to her feet, having me lean against her as we both stood up and hurried as much as we could to get away. Not long after we were alone, far away from the commotion in the middle of the city.  
By this point my side, chest, and eye had bled quite a bit. The adrenaline in my system had long ago worn off as I began to stumble. Finally I slid away from Lis's support, crumbling to the ground.  
"Duke!" She pleaded as she tried to catch me somehow, keeping me from lying completely on the ground.  
I managed to pull myself up into a sitting position as I leaned against the alleyway wall. Half blind I could see Lis kneeling in front of me, fighting back tears as she tried to reach me. I had lost a lot of blood and was fading in and out of consciousness at this point.  
"Duke!" Her voice tried in vain not to quake, "Duke, we're almost there! Please! Once we get back Trent will be able to help you!"  
"Lis..." I whispered as my heart shattered at the sound of her breaking down, "Lis, I'm sorry...I never meant ta hurt ya...sweetheart...I was worried...ya might not come back this time..."  
My breathing became more labored as I bled out. Yet I fought to stay awake.  
"I wouldn't have stayed away," she insisted, "I just needed to figure some things out...Duke I didn't mean for this to happen..."  
"Hey!" I snapped, "This was not your fault!...I knew he was plannin' somethin'...my pride...got in the way..."  
I shook my head, trying to stay with her as I began to drift from consciouness.  
"Duke, please...we have to get you back to the others!"  
It seemed both of us had left our communicators behind. I chuckled tiredly at this, not really knowing why.  
"Duke?"  
With my free hand I reached up to her, brushing the blood that still trickled down her cheek away. Though it had little affect. However I still looked at her, and into those eyes filled with tears...tears for me? At last I gave in as I leaned forward and held her close to me.  
"I love you..." I whispered, "I love you so much sweetheart..."

Lis:  
Hearing these words felt like warm rain reaching the dry soil of a heart long forgotten about. I found myself holding onto him, shaking still as I did.  
"I love you too," I told him with a trembling voice, "So please! Don't give up on me!"  
I felt as Duke slipped one of his gloves off and then ran his fingers gently through my hair.  
"I won't give up Lis, so please don't cry anymore...it's breakin' my heart..." he begged softly as he then tried to get up with my support.  
After a little while longer we were finally back at the hideout. Saffire had been pacing by the entrance waiting for a sign of us. When they saw Duke she quickly rushed over to us while calling the others for help. Silver was right behind her as he had me shift Duke over to him for better support. They were roughly the same height and build, with Silver being a bit more wiery in his frame. So it was easier for him to support Duke as he half carried him down the hall to the infirmary. In the rush I told Saffire what had happened as we followed Duke and Silver.  
"That rat!" Diana exclaimed as she had joined us.  
Now Duke was in the infirmary while we waited in the hall just outside. While I waited Silver brought me a bandage and applied it to my cheek, "I'm afraid it's too close to your eye to stitch up."  
Then he added in a very careful voice, "I...I'm afraid Trent couldn't save Duke's..."  
I winced, not for my own injury, but as I tried to imagine what Duke had gone through during the fight. I had run up to them just as it was happening. I recoiled, holding myself as I shuddered and broke down.  
"I couldn't get to him in time!" I finally caved in, "I tried, but it was too late for me to save him from this!"  
"Lis it's not your fault, Duke knew the risk taking on a challenge from Falcone like that," Silver tried to remind me, but it didn't help.  
I nearly crumbled to my knees before Saffire gripped my shoulders quickly, holding me up, "Lis! Stop!"  
I looked at her surprised as she continued, "Stop blaming yourself right now! If you hadn't gotten to him Duke might be dead right now! You were able to bring him back to us! Be thankful for that if nothing else!"  
Then her expression softened as she pulled me into a hug as I cried, taking in her words with everything else that had just happened, "It's okay my friend. I know it's not easy to see him in pain, but don't blame yourself okay? What's important is that he's alive and that you came back with him."  
"I was scared I wouldn't see him again! I was scared I would get there too late and he would be..." I sobbed into my friend's shoulder.  
"We understand," Saffire assured me, "We were scared he wouldn't come back from this one too, but here he is."  
Silver tried to give an encouraging smile before joining in the hug with Diana.  
"This is so corny," Diana commented awkwardly.  
Silver shrugged, keeping her from pulling back as he hugged us tighter.  
After a little longer Trent came out to meet with us. While he dried his hands with a cloth he spoke clearly, "He's lucky to be alive. Between the blaster wound in his side and the gash in his chest, and of course the loss of his eye, he lost a lot of blood. He also managed to get his beak chipped. I can make a mechanical eye for him, but it will take a few days. For now he'll have to wear a temporary patch. Also it seems some of his hair has turned white from the shock of everything."  
"Can we see him?" Silver asked.  
"You can, but don't cause too much fuss, he really needs to rest," Trent said in a firm tone.  
Silver nudged me forward, "You go ahead Lis, we'll be in there in a few minutes. You should see him first though."  
Taking a deep breath I walked into the infirmary to find him sleeping it seemed. A streak of white had appeared in his hair as Trent had told us. Beneath an unbuttoned shirt I could see his bandaged wounds. More of them covered where his right eye should have been with a tempory gauze patch being held in place.  
For a moment I felt as though I were frozen as I watched him. Then I noticed as Duke slowly opened his eye and looked over at me.  
"Hey..."  
I barely held myself together as I walked over to him, gripping the side of the bed as I reached over him with my free hand. Then I gently ran my fingers through a bit of his now white hair. It didn't take long for him to notice the bandage on my own face. He slowly reached his hand up, cupping my cheek gently and brushing his thumb over where the scar would be.  
"Are you okay?" He asked while trying to smile.  
"It's just a cut," I assured him.  
"I don't just mean that sweetheart," he said softly.  
"Why are you worried about me when you're lieing in bed like this?" I questioned shakily.  
"Ya know why..." he smiled weakly.  
"You need to rest," I told him, trying hard not to cry as he winced in pain from moving his shoulder, pulling at the wound in his chest.  
I forced him carefully to rest his arm, holding his hand as I did. It were as though I were afraid to let go of it after that. Yet as I held his hand still he slowly reached over with his other hand, resting it over mine.  
"Duke..."  
He smiled still before drifting off to sleep, "We'll talk...in a little while...okay sweetheart?"  
I nodded my head, barely holding myself together as I watched him a while longer.  
Soon the others came in, saw Duke was alive, and then quietly stepped out so he could rest. Trent told me I could go back to my own room to rest if I wanted. However I found myself unable to pull away from him as he held my hand while he rested. So I remained at his side instead, falling asleep half on the bed beside him as fatigue set in.

Duke:  
When I awoke some time later the next day I found Lis sound asleep as she still held my hand. I noticed that I was in turn holding hers as well. Fighting the pain in my chest from the sewn up wound I reached across to rest my hand gently over her head, stroking her hair carefully as I did. Then I fell back to sleep, as though I had simply needed to reassure myself that she was okay and still there beside me.  
Later on when I woke up again I found Lis to be missing. Looking at the clock I found it was much later in the day. Though I hadn't been awake long before someone popped their head in to check on me. This time it was Silver, who smiled with relief when he saw I was awake.  
"Cutting it a bit too close this time don't you think?" He teased in his usual good natured tone.  
I tried to laugh, but it made my wounds ache, "Makes me know I'm really alive."  
"You're lucky to be alive this time Duke," he pointed out as he pulled up a chair to talk with me.  
He spun it around so he could lean forward against the back of the chair.  
"Where's Lis?" I asked curiously.  
"Trent told her to go ahead and get some food and freshen up. She's been in here most of the day looking after you for some reason," he said, "it's almost as though something changed?"  
He knew. In fact I was pretty sure he had known well before now. Suddenly his antics with Lis's suit and getting us alone when he could made sense.  
"I don't know how she did it..." I admitted, pouring over my memories with her, "But at the same time, it feels like I've known since I met her in a way."  
"Don't tell Ebony that," Silver laughed.  
"I tried ta tell myself at first that it was strange. That I couldn't be reachin' out ta her that way," I said.  
"Why not? Because you're both from different worlds?" Silver questioned, "Litterally and figuratively? Duke you do realize you refused to return home without her?"  
"I thought it was jus' because I knew she was in trouble, that I jus' needed ta help her an' that was it."  
"While you are more noble than most thieves would be Duke, this still sounds more like it was more than your character at work here?"  
I laughed softly.  
"I didn't want her ta be alone again. Even before what happened...I didn't want ta connect with her like that an' then leave her there ta get hurt...I didn't want ta break her heart after she had let me get close ta her. Though even still...at the time...I think she was preparin' for that ta happen. I hated knowin' that."  
"Duke, what if she hadn't been in trouble like you keep talking about? What if you simply went to come back? What would you have done?"  
"I...I don't know..." I said, looking away from my friend.  
"I think you do know Duke, and it's okay to admit it to me. I'm not Falcone, I won't judge you for wanting to change," Silver told me with a trusting smile.  
"I would have stayed there," I admitted to him and to myself, "I would stayed ta help her an' keep her safe. If things had been different an' she hadn't needed ta escape, I would have remained there with her..."  
"You would have stayed?" Her voice shook from the doorway.  
Again I saw tears in her eyes, though this time from genuine surprise as she heard me confess this. Her cheeks grew a deep red again.  
I nodded with a smile to her, "Of course I would have sweetheart. How could I leave ya there when I love ya so much?"  
"You too are so sappy," Silver teased before getting up and leaving us alone again, but not before rustling Lis's hair like a big brother would have again.  
I forced myself to sit up, pushing through the pain as I did, to greet her better as she walked over to my side. Then I opened my arms just as she threw hers around me. I winced from the sudden slight jolt, but hid it as I held her in return.  
"I love you," I told her again as I held her as tightly as I could.  
"I love you too," she wept into my shoulder as I caressed her back.


	6. Chapter 6

After a few days I was allowed to get up and move around the hideout again. Trent had made a mechanical eye for me, enabling me to see again from my right side. To cover it up though I was given a patch to wear over it. This would also hide the scarring on my face. The rest of my wound healed with time and I got used to the replacement eye fairly quickly.  
I hadn't seen Lis yet this particular morning yet. Silver had told me she had stepped out to let her friends she had told me about before that she was alright. I was a bit relieved that she could still live between our hidden world among thieves and her world with the friends she had made, as the public didn't know her face. Yet at the same time I worried for her if that were ever to change. If anyone ever found out who she was with. Something in me began to shift, causing me to drift from the life I knew.  
"Can't find your lady love L'Orange?" Ebony questioned when she saw me from down the hall.  
"Not now Ebony," I warned politely.  
"Wait Duke," she pleaded quickly, reaching for my arm.  
I turned and looked at her.  
"Look, I know I lost. Even before you realized it, I saw how you looked at that girl-Lis...Then when she brought you back here the other night, I realized how right she was about me, and about you," she said looking away from me, "She sees the real you. She accepts and loves you, whether you're a thief or not."  
"You'll find your own love one day Ebony," I assured her, giving her a kind smile.  
"Don't you dare hurt her now that you have her L'Orange," she warned me.  
"I couldn't..." I said.

After a few more hours had passed Lis still hadn't returned it seemed. I hoped she was just spending time with her friends and enjoying her day rather than ending up in some sort of trouble. Yet I couldn't help but be a bit worried. With all that had happened, all that she had been through in such a short time. I couldn't help but wonder if she was okay.  
Sunset was turning to dusk now. I was about to go out and look for her when Silver stopped me.  
"Looking for your lady love?" He teased.  
"She's been out for a while, I know the public doesn't know her face or that she's connected ta us, but still," I said.  
Silver shook his head with an amused smile, "Duke, I assure you she's just fine."  
I looked at him puzzled by his statement, "How would ya know that?"  
"Because we snuck her in hours ago," he told me.  
"You knew I was worried about her!" I exclaimed.  
"Sorry, but we had to," Silver insisted before starting to push me towards my own room.  
"What are ya-?"  
"Just trust me," Silver assured, "Go change as though you're gettin' ready for a job."  
"What? My suit? Why?"  
"Just do it, and when you're ready head out to the roof okay?"  
"Silver-"  
"Just do it!" Silver pushed exasperated.  
As instructed I went to my room and changed into my bodysuit. Fortunately I had mended it with Saffire's help and had gotten the blood out of it. Then when I reached for my belt I felt something still tucked away in one of the pouches. I fastened the belt to my waist before looking to find what was inside. I then grasped the tiny chain carefully as I pulled the sapphire necklace out and held it up. In all the commotion I had forgotten about it. Luckily it hadn't been damaged or stained with blood.  
While I held it up I thought for just a moment about what to do with it. Then I smiled as though the answer was already on my mind. As I tucked it back into my belt I went out to the roof as I was told to.  
Then beneath the full moon I sat waiting. The cold night air welcomed me as stars began to appear over head.  
Not long after I heard someone approaching as they climbed up to the roof and walked towards me. Turning my head I found myself speechless as I quickly got to my feet. Before me stood a very nervous Lis as she was wearing a lovely burgundy dress. The top was in a maiden's style with her sleeves flared wide at the wrists. It was open in a wide v, leaving her shoulders slightly bare and her neck that she normally covered. The material was smooth and fitted her frame exactly. While the velvet skirt flowed gently from her hips down to her feet. Rather than being held tightly at the base of her neck, her burgundy hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail that cascaded over her shoulder.  
"Lis..." I tried to speak as I walked up to her.  
As I stood before her she looked up at me once again with those stunning sapphire eyes of hers. The very eyes that drew me to her when we first met. Her cheeks were a deep red again as she waited for me to say something to her. I then realized that she had probably never worn something like this before.  
I swiftly gave a bow as I grasped her hand to kiss it. Then I looked at her still, finally finding my words, "Ya look beautiful sweetheart."  
"It feels strange..." she told me nervously.  
"It really shouldn't be," I gave her my most charming smile, "It really suits you sweetheart."

Lis:  
As I looked up at Duke I struggled to find words to say to him. Seeing him in the deep burgundy and black suit he had made my knees weak somehow. Yet still I stood before him.  
"Lis," he said to me as he offered a hand to me that I accepted without question.  
He then lead me to the edge of the roof as we both sat beside one another. Together we watched the stars for a short while before Duke looked at me again. For a moment he looked unsure of what he wanted to say. Finally he started softly, "Lis, ya know that I love you. But I do worry about your future if we stay together."  
"What do you mean?" I asked nervously.  
He held my hand tightly as he continued, "Sweetheart, you've known from the start what I am. A thief with little I can offer ya beyond this roof over our heads. Right now you can travel between worlds in a way, our world as thieves, and the world you have with your other friends here on Puck World."  
"Duke?"  
"Lis, if the world one day discovered what you've become with us-?"  
"Then I would stay with you still," I told him firmly.  
"You would never be able ta stand in the sun without hiding again."  
"Then I would dance with you beneath the moonlight instead," I answered with a smile.  
"Your freedom would be at risk."  
"As it was back home," I pointed out, "I'm already on the run in a way Duke, but at least here I can run with you."  
He looked at me, as though stunned by my persistance and words.  
"What kind of a future can I offer you with what I am?" He asked me with regret washing over his expression.  
"A future with you there," I answered simply.  
He looked at me unsure.  
"Duke a life without you there, now that I know you, wouldn't mean anything," I told him.  
"Lis..."  
"Duke, I accepted you for who you are when you told me. Whatever happens I want to stay with you. Please trust me as you asked me to trust you," I said to him, looking up at him.  
He started to look away when I noticed the eyepatch he now wore once again.

Duke:  
When I saw her looking up at me, seeing the mark my face would forever carry now I turned away from her. A scar that would forever remind me of what I was and how I could never truly change. The public knew who I was and what I was. The price for my head was far too high to ever have a chance at giving her the life she should have. Free, safe, and in the light.  
"Duke.." she then whispered as she pulled herself up a little, kneeling beside me now.  
I was afraid to look at her. Afraid that the constant reminder I now had would make her cry again. Her voice screaming my name made me shudder. I found myself pulling away from her and getting up to leave.  
"Duke!" She pleaded, getting to her feet as she caught my hand.  
Finally I turned back to her, looking over her. Her sapphire eyes searched my soul once more. I felt unable to pull away from her, even though I knew it would have been to protect her. I didn't want to break away from her now that I had her. Now that I had her heart and not because I had stolen it. She was giving it to me, as no one had ever done before. She saw the real me.  
Before I could pull back again she lifted a gentle hand to my face. Her fingers carefully brushed over the eyepatch I wore. I winced for a moment.  
"Does it still hurt you?" She asked worriedly.  
I shook my head, "Nah sweetheart. Only the memory of that night bothers me now," I told her, remembering her being in danger.  
I then pulled her close to me, embracing her, "I don't know what I would have done had I lost ya. No matter how much I want ta protect ya Lis, I want ta be with ya even more. I'm sorry if that's selfish."  
"If it's what we both want how can it be selfish?" She asked me, laughing softly as looked up at me.  
I then pulled away slightly to look over her again. Her eyes glistened in the moonlight. Her pale skin turned a deep red as she blushed again. I gave her my most charming smile, causing her to blush even more. Before I could slip away I found myself pulling her close to me as we tilted our heads in a gradual reaction. Both our eyes closed as we at last connected with a gentle kiss. As she leaned into me I caressed her hair with one hand, and her back with the other. While she slipped one hand behind me to pull me close, and clutched my shirt front over my heart with the other.  
"Lis, I know I can't offer much more than my heart," I told her, "but I will keep ya safe. If you'll have me, I will give my heart ta you."  
"You're all I've ever wanted Duke."  
I smiled at her. Then I kissed her forehead gently before pulling back. My hand brushed over the pouch on my belt when I suddenly remembered the treasure kept inside of it. Carefully I lifted it up as I slipped behind Lis. Before she turned around I gently clasped the delicate gold chain behind her neck as the sapphire heart was now resting below her collar bone.  
"For you my love," I told her, "Jus' be careful not ta wear it out an' about."  
"Duke," she whispered surprised as she turned to face me.  
I gave a quick bow and a charming smile in reply. While she in turn reached a hand out to me that I grasped before spinning her into me smoothly, almost dancing with her beneath the full moon. Finally once again I pulled her close to me as I kissed her once more.

So Lis and I spent our days together. She remained with me in the Brotherhood of the Blade.  
Until the unthinkable happened. Puck World was invaded by an enemy from centuries ago. Our group was seperated as we all went to join the cause to fight back. I had managed to keep Lis with me when we were finally approached by one of the leaders of Puck World's Special Forces. The resistance we had heard rumors about.  
"Canard!" Lis exclaimed as she hurried over to him.  
"Lis! I wondered what happened to you," Canard said surprised as I followed along behind her.  
I looked at Lis a bit confused, "Is this one of your friends?"  
"I met him and his two friends when you first brought me to Puck World. They were very kind to me," she explained.  
"I am happy that you are safe, but I've come to ask your companion something," Canard told us.  
The leader of the resistance turned to me with a serious expression over his face.  
"Duke, you are the leader of the Brotherhood of the Blade. The most natorious jewel thief on Puck World yes?"  
I nodded.  
"Since the invasion you've been using your skills to help our people to get food and supplies if I'm not mistaken."  
"It's my home, I had ta help," I said.  
"That's why I'm here Duke. Puck World Special Forces wants to recruit you into the resistance," he told me as he handed me a sealed form.  
I carefully unfolded the official form offered to me. My remaining eye widened in shock when I read the written words.  
"This is a..."  
"A full pardon for you and your gang for joining the resistance," Canard confirmed.  
I looked to Lis, overwhelmed by the news. She smiled at me proudly, resting a gentle hand against my shoulder as she did.  
"I will gladly join the resistance, but Lis comes with me," I said firmly, "I will watch out for her safety, but I will not leave her behind."  
"Understood," Canard agreed as he handed me another form, "Here's the information about where to meet up for our mission. I have to go gather the rest of our recruits. I'll see you both there soon!"  
When he left I could barely hold back from turning to Lis excitedly. I quickly lifted her up into my arms as we spun around, pulling her into a tight hug, "We've been pardoned! I have a chance ta change! I can give ya a better life!"  
She hugged me, laughing cheerfully with joy as I held her close to me.  
Then she looked up at me, "Duke? What about the others? The Brotherhood? Is this change what you want?"  
"Look, I'm not ashamed of my past," I assured her, "But I'm not givin' up this chance ta give us both a life of freedom. An' all I have ta do is use my skills ta help liberate our home!"  
"Duke, no matter what you choose I will stay at your side," she promised as I happily kissed her forehead.  
With that we went to meet up with the others. Soon after we met the rest of our recruits; Mallory, Tanya, Grin, Wildwing, and Nosedive. The last two Lis happily ran to, hugging them both.  
"These are your friends you've met from time to time?" I asked her curiously.  
She nodded cheerfully.  
"Wait Lis, you've been with the Brotherhood of the Blade the entire time? Canard told us he was recruiting their leader and that you were with him!" Nosedive exclaimed.  
Wildwing looked to Lis worriedly, as though questioning how well she had known her.  
"Look, she was with me," I said stepping forward to support her, "But she never stole a thing herself. She wasn't a thief as I was, so don't feel like ya were harborin' a fugitive. However, I do thank you none the less."  
Wildwing then looked to Lis, then Nosedive, and finally back to me, "Well I don't think any of that matters at this point. I trust Canard, and I do trust our friend here. If they both say we can trust you, then I that's all that I really need to know."  
I gave a thankful nod to the two brothers. Thanking them not only for trusting us, but for the aid they have given Lis before.  
Soon we were headed to face off against Dragonus. From that point on my life with Lis changed beyond anything I could have imagined. Ending up in a new universe on a strange planet called Earth. Along the way we lost Canard, making Wildwing our leader. In this new world we became a true team with our comrades on and off the ice. We built a new home together. And I made a new life with the love of my life.  
Though it took longer than I thought it would, it seemed that the dreams from my childhood had not been out of reach. I was no longer a fugitive of the law, but a hero that faced evil after evil with my teammates. The fair maiden I had dreamed of was no longer a dream at all, and she had given me her heart of her own accord. And in turn she had stolen mine, perhaps even when we had first met.  
Yes, for it seemed to me that since meeting her everything I had ever known had begun to change. As though enchanted by her and those beautiful eyes of hers. My desire to change had begun to stir, to become a hero to others and to her. For so long I had kept myself at a distance, but not with her.  
Now here we were together, in a magic kind of love.


End file.
